A lot of people think of estate planning as a purely financial endeavor. It is true that you have to facilitate the transfer of your monetary assets after you pass away. This is one important piece to the puzzle, but it is not the only one. In order to be comprehensively prepared for the inevitabilities that we will all face, you should consider end-of-life matters as well. With this in mind, we will share some information about incapacity planning in this post. Alzheimer’s Disease To fully … [Read more...] about Act in Advance to Prevent a Conservatorship
How Will You Obtain the Care You Need?
Blog Author: Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. As Americans grow older, more and more of us need help with our daily activities. It could be a little help or a lot of help, depending on the situation. Of course, the level of assistance we need can change over time. According to a study by Bankers Life Center for a Secure Retirement, 68% of middle-income boomers are providing care for a parent and 17% are … [Read more...] about How Will You Obtain the Care You Need?
WHY We Walk – 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer’s
by Maggie A. LaBranch-Gonzales Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law I think most of us, by now, have had some connection with a person who has been affected by Alzheimer’s. I would wager it is becoming more common as we are living longer. We’ve seen it with our clients and their families. For me, it’s my grandmother. My grandmother, Jan Ely, died on December 26, 2019 at the age of 78, after surviving through all the stages of dementia and into the final stages of … [Read more...] about WHY We Walk – 2020 Walk to End Alzheimer’s
California’s Proposition 13 (VIDEO)
In this vlog, Attorney Justin M. Kennedy discusses California's Proposition 13. Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law are members of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys. If you would like to learn more about the importance of estate planning, we invite you to attend one of our free estate planning webinars. … [Read more...] about California’s Proposition 13 (VIDEO)
What is a Death Probate? (VIDEO)
In this video, Attorney Justin M. Kennedy discusses the death probate. In California, if a decedent passes away with more than $166,250 in assets in their name (not held in Trust), then their assets may be subject to the death probate. In California, a probate attorney is paid a statutory amount which is the same whether you hire an experienced probate attorney, or one who is inexperienced. When you are looking for a probate attorney, you should focus your search on finding an attorney … [Read more...] about What is a Death Probate? (VIDEO)
Avoid These Common Estate Planning Mistakes
In far too many cases, loved ones are left behind to deal with difficult circumstances because of estate planning mistakes that were made by family members. With this in mind, we will look at some common estate planning mistakes in this post so you can steer clear of these scenarios. DIY Estate Planning There are websites on the Internet that sell boilerplate, fill in the blanks legal documents. The marketing approach revolves around the idea that anyone can play the role of an attorney and … [Read more...] about Avoid These Common Estate Planning Mistakes
Attorneys Justin M. Kennedy and Maggie A. LaBranch-Gonzales Selected as 2020 California Rising Stars
Attorneys Justin M. Kennedy and Maggie A. LaBranch-Gonzales have been selected to the 2020 California Rising Stars list. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state. This is the 2nd year that Justin and Maggie have received this honor. Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual … [Read more...] about Attorneys Justin M. Kennedy and Maggie A. LaBranch-Gonzales Selected as 2020 California Rising Stars
Preparing for Coronavirus
Blog Author: Stephen C. Hartnett, J.D., LL.M. (Tax), Director of Education, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. There’s a new virus that’s emerging, novel “coronavirus,” also called “COVID-19.” It first appeared in Wuhan, China in late 2019 and reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019. Here’s a link to the WHO’s site for the latest global information. At this point, the virus has infected near 100,000 people in 81 countries. There are hundreds of … [Read more...] about Preparing for Coronavirus
Estate Planning: Make Today the Day
Studies are conducted periodically to gain an understanding of the estate planning preparedness of adults in the United States. Unfortunately, the results are never encouraging. Most people that are over 65 have a will or some other estate planning document, but a significant percentage of people in this age group do not. The vast majority of Americans that are under the age of 40 are completely unprepared. If you are a young adult and you are single, you should have a will or a trust, but … [Read more...] about Estate Planning: Make Today the Day
COVID-19 aka the Coronavirus: A Reminder to be Prepared
by Attorney Maggie A. LaBranch-Gonzales Litherland, Kennedy & Associates, APC, Attorneys at Law If you’ve heard me speak in our seminars or workshops, or you’ve had the pleasure of meeting with me at the office, I can imagine you hearing my voice right now (kindly) reminding you that we all die. (Way to be blunt, right, Maggie?) But, seriously, for me, the most important part of Estate Planning is not necessarily what happens when you’ve passed away, but whether you are adequately … [Read more...] about COVID-19 aka the Coronavirus: A Reminder to be Prepared
