The most commonly held misconception about estate planning is the idea that trusts are only useful for a small percentage of people that have very complicated estate planning objectives. There are definitely trusts that are used by individuals that are in unusual situations. This being stated, the revocable living trust is an estate planning device that can be extremely useful for "the rest of us." If you have always thought that you would be using a simple will, you may change your mind … [Read more...] about Five Reasons to Use a Living Trust
What Are the Drawbacks of Probate?
If you were to use a will to express your final wishes with regard to your asset distribution choices, you would name an executor in the document. This person or entity would not be able to act independently. The will would be admitted to probate, and the court would provide supervision during the administration process. During probate, final debts are paid, including taxes. The court examines the will to determine its validity, and if anyone wants to issue a challenge, they could make their … [Read more...] about What Are the Drawbacks of Probate?
Living Trusts Provide Multiple Benefits
People often assume that a last will is the right asset transfer vehicle if you are not a multimillionaire. In fact, this assertion is patently false. It is true that there are different types of trusts that are used by high net worth individuals that are concerned about the estate tax. This being stated, there are other trusts that can be used by people of relatively ordinary means. One of them that is the right choice for a wide range of individuals is the revocable living trust, and we … [Read more...] about Living Trusts Provide Multiple Benefits
Join Us for Our Last Two Free Living Trust Seminars of 2016
If you do not have an estate plan – or if your estate plan consists only of a basic will – you may not be adequately protecting your family against probate and estate taxes. Without proper planning, your family could lose a large portion of your estate to probate fees and estate taxes, even if you have a will… Setting Up a Living Trust is One of the Most Important Things You Can Do for Yourself and for Your Family During Your Lifetime A Living Trust will transfer your estate to your … [Read more...] about Join Us for Our Last Two Free Living Trust Seminars of 2016
The Importance of Incapacity Planning
THE IMPORTANCE OF INCAPACITY PLANNING Who Will Manage Your Health Care Decisions? For most of our lives, the greatest risk to our well-being is the ever-increasing likelihood of becoming seriously ill or injured. When illness or injury makes us unable to manage our own affairs, we may face the legal ordeal of a Conservatorship which can be a living nightmare for those who must go through it. Many people fail to plan ahead for their possible incapacity because they think it only happens to … [Read more...] about The Importance of Incapacity Planning
Register Now for Free Estate Planning and Elder Care Seminars and Workshops
We make an effort to provide estate planning and elder care information to people here in the greater San Jose area on an ongoing basis. On the electronic level we maintain this blog and make sure that it is updated regularly with useful content. In addition to the blog, our website has a section that contains a rather extensive library of free special reports. The special reports examine various different aspects of estate planning and elder care, and you can download as many reports as you … [Read more...] about Register Now for Free Estate Planning and Elder Care Seminars and Workshops
Are Your Trust Terms Obsolete?
The process of estate planning is just that: a process. If you truly want to be prepared every step of the way, you should not just create a living trust and then forget about it. Life does not stand still. The estate plan that you initially put into place will reflect the circumstances of your life as they stood at that time. Over the years, there may be additions and subtractions to the family, changes in your marital status, and improvements in your financial profile. All of these things … [Read more...] about Are Your Trust Terms Obsolete?
Incapacity Component Adds to Appeal of Living Trusts
There are some estate planning devices that accomplish multiple objectives, and living trusts are among them. The primary reason why individuals decide to utilize revocable living trusts is because of the fact that these trusts enable future distributions of assets to the beneficiaries without the hindrances of probate. Probate is a legal process that can take a lot of time. There are also costs that go along with this process. When you use a revocable living trust rather than a last will to … [Read more...] about Incapacity Component Adds to Appeal of Living Trusts
Three Commonly Asked Questions About Revocable Living Trusts
If you decide to put the procrastination behind you and start to get serious about estate planning, you are going to want to obtain some answers. There are innumerable different legal devices that are used in the field of estate planning. Depending on your unique circumstances, various different courses of action may be appropriate. Many people assume that they should use a last will to direct future asset transfers, but in fact a revocable living trust may be a better alternative. With a … [Read more...] about Three Commonly Asked Questions About Revocable Living Trusts
Free California Living Trust Report Now Available
There is a lot of questionable information that circulates on the Internet about estate planning, and certain misconceptions can arise. We have noticed that this is especially true when it comes to living trusts. As a response, we have created an informative report to share with you, free of charge. To download your free report, follow this link and complete the brief form that you see off to the right so we can send you access to the information: California Living Trust Report One of the … [Read more...] about Free California Living Trust Report Now Available