Incapacity planning is an important part of estate planning. Incapacity can happen to anyone – a silly accident, falling off a ladder while pruning – is all it takes. Powers of Attorney are a vital incapacity planning tool. You must, however, sign a power of attorney before becoming incapacitated or before a dementia diagnoses. With…

The Land’s End catalog announces that “it’s closet refresh season.” However, a refresh of your files to review your insurance policies and estate plan is more important. Ensure that your trust is named as an additional insured on your homeowner’s insurance policy. Insurance policies are designed to protect the named insured. Third parties have no…

On Valentine’s Day, we think about our loved ones. We naturally want to benefit loved ones upon death. However, if you die without a Will, or intestate, the California Probate Code specifies who receives your estate – not you. Your loved one may not be on the Probate Code’s list. So who’s on list? Certainly,…

It’s easy to say, “I’m going to get my estate plan done this year.” But where to start? First consider your assets, their value, and who you’d like to leave them to. The goal is to get the assets to your beneficiaries quickly, efficiently, economically and to avoid probate. If you have a very small…