Articles

Advance Health Care Directives

Under California law, you have the right to state your wishes regarding the types of health care you want (and the types you do not want). An “advance health care directive” lets your family, friends, and physician(s) know your health care preferences, including the types of special treatment you want or do not want at the end of life, your desire for diagnostic testing, surgical procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and organ donation.

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IRA Inheritance Trusts

Over sixty percent of inherited money is spent within less than three years. Until now, parents have generally left their tax deferred retirement accounts to their beneficiaries (usually their child or children) outright. There have not been any restrictions or parameters placed on the account. This frequently leads to unintended consequences.

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Powers of Attorney

A power of attorney is a legal instrument in which one person, the “Principal” delegates legal authority to another person, the “Agent” or “Attorney-in-Fact”. The Agent has the legal authority to make property, financial and other legal decisions on behalf of the Principal and in so doing, binds the Principal.

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The Probate Process in California

While most people engage in estate planning to avoid probate, sometimes it is unavoidable! Also, some people never engaged in estate planning. In California, the process has been created to as efficiently and fairly as possible, transfer assets to heirs/beneficiaries and creditors, if any.

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Wills and Living Trusts

Wills and living trusts are the foundation of estate planning. That being said, it is often useful to understand what they accomplish and what they cannot do. It is always helpful to have an understanding of their characteristics and attributes.

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