Estate Administration & Probate

This time of year, many people resolve to get financial affairs in order so they are better prepared for the future. The reasons for a plan to protect the estate assets are many. Recently, a news article covered some of the most common reasons for estate planning, and...

Starting planning early can ensure heirs have an easier time upon one's passing. Estate administration comes with work and responsibility, and the more time and planning that one invests in the process now, the less confusion and suffering will result for the ones...

Those in California who take the time to plan their estates often have to make difficult decisions. Among those delicate choices may be the naming of an executor. This is not a decision to be made lightly or hastily, for example, simply naming the oldest child to the...

In the wake of the fires ripping across the state, many individuals have lost everything. Not least among the items lost are important documents vital to estate administration. By keeping the documents in a safe place in California, an individual may reduce the...

Sitting down for a serious family talk can be pretty intimidating. It's likely that nobody knows a person better than their family, but having frank conversations can be hard. Some families also like to smooth over the rough edges of life and prefer to talk about...

Many people hold to the philosophy that it is easier to manage a task when it is broken down into manageable chunks. An estate administration checklist can serve the task of helping a person break down the larger task of estate planning into tasks that are more...

The California courts often are called upon to administer the estates of deceased celebrities and entertainers. Sometimes the probate of such matters is simple, and  other times it is complicated. Possibly none can compare in complexity and chaos to the estate of...

Family conflict is unfortunately a fact of life that exists in California and everywhere else. It can be a bitter dynamic when it erupts in the context of probate of a deceased parent's estate. Probate contests not only may drain the estate of funds, but they also...

Many people who go through estate planning in California express the desire to avoid the probate process. What does that mean? Probate is the legal process of distributing one's assets after death, either pursuant to the instructions in one's will or without a will....

Many people in California avoid the topic of their own mortality. Others view death as an inevitable part of life, and therefore want to be as prepared as possible. Especially if someone plans to pass on a family business, or wishes certain items of sentimental value...