In the realm of estate planning, a will without a trust stands as an important document, orchestrating the distribution of assets and the fulfillment of wishes after one’s passing. In California, the statutory will serve as a convenient template for many individuals seeking to outline their testamentary intentions. While there are times when a statutory will may be sufficient –…
As estate planning and trust administration attorneys, we run into quite a few issues regularly with clients where the issue can be resolved by looking at specific documents. Often, the clients cannot find those documents, either because they are very old or because they do not appear to be very important. Here we will go through a list, although not…
Effective January 1, 2022, California Probate Code Sections 15800 and 16069 are amended by Assembly Bill 1079. The law changes affect trustees who assume their role when the settlor or trustor (the trust’s creator) becomes incapacitated. Typically, the person or persons who create a revocable living trust hold power to revoke the trust. However, when a person dies, their revocable…
The Aged and Disabled Medi-Cal program pays for long-term care in a skilled nursing facility and care at home through In Home Support Services (IHSS). In order to qualify for this type of Medi-Cal, you must meet an income test, or have a share of cost if your income is too high, and you are limited in the amount of…
What if you could order a cremation for your loved one from their bedside? It would certainly avoid the need to research and find a funeral home. In addition, it avoids a visit to the funeral home and the potential for employees to try and upsell your every decision. For basic cremation with the delivery of cremains to your doorstep,…
We work with so many families who are struggling with dementia. Understanding how to deal with dementia is a growing problem in our society as the average age of our population continues to increase. We have all heard the statistic that 10,000 people become eligible for Medicare every day by turning 65. Every day. And caring for a family member with…
When a family member passes away, family dynamics are often drastically changed. Even more so when other family members are living in the decedent’s family home, which can occur in a few different ways; thus, pre-planning with a right of occupancy spelled out in your trust can avoid any ambiguities and clarify who owns the property after death and who…