Another year is coming ever closer to its end. As people review the past and anticipate the future, resolutions and plans for the New Year are made. Among those plans may be a plan to protect one’s estate assets. A comprehensive estate plan can go a long way towards achieving that goal, but how does one begin in California?
Every adult can benefit from having an estate plan. Even if one believes that his or her net worth is not sufficient to merit a will, most everyone has possessions that are dear to them. In addition, a trust or living will can provide for medical decisions that may need to be made in the event of one’s incapacitation and inability to make those decisions.
There are steps that should be taken to ensure that a plan meets an individual’s needs. These include making a list of goals for the plan and including the people the plan is intended to protect, minor children and/or pets for example. Another step is to make a list of all of the property and assets that you are striving to protect. A comprehensive list helps to ensure that nothing of importance is omitted.
Protecting estate assets for one’s children and heirs is a wonderful gift to give them heading into the New Year in California. A lawyer experienced in estate planning can assist with the creation of the plan. He or she can review the big picture and help to ensure that all of one’s assets and liabilities are covered in the planning process and in the final product.
