Estate Administration & Probate

"[Y]ou have to address the elephant in the room."So says one estate planning attorney and commentator who is unquestionably voicing what other planning professionals routinely know is true and candidly advise their clients to do.In the context of estate planning in...

Say that you've been approached by a close friend or relative in Orange County or elsewhere who is asking you to serve as the executor of his or her estate.What exactly does that entail, and should you do it?First off, doing the requisite homework to find out what...

"[T]he ultimate result is exactly what you set out to achieve."As noted in a recent media focus on preparing for an initial meeting with an estate planning attorney, that is the happy ending in any given estate administration scenario. You were hoping for "A," and you...

Here's a central irony related to health insurance: Although federal law changes have in recent years greatly reduced the number of Californians and other Americans without health coverage (one estimate concludes that as many as 15 million more people have become...

Following uber icon David Bowie's lead to gain traction in the musical industry would likely be a fruitless move for any young and ambitious musician, given Bowie's singular chops and absolutely unique image and delivery.Using his reported business acumen in the realm...

If you're married but sans kids and don’t ever expect to alter that status quo, you can basically just opt of any discussion on estate planning that some of your friends and acquaintances might be having, right?After all, the standard thinking of many regarding estate...

Many people might not readily associate Orange County environs with farms and agricultural enterprises, but the region is in fact home to many land-based pursuits and agri-related businesses. And the owners of many farms and linked agricultural business operations...

A certified financial planner passes along some solid advice in a recent article on estate administration, which we convey to our readers in Orange County and elsewhere across Southern California.For starters, notes Jim Ludwick, a few select planning documents are...

Although the United States is a country that is obviously marked by tremendous resources and power, such riches do not automatically translate to wealth -- that is, sustained and unfettered financial power and associated freedoms -- for all Americans.Many readers of...

Assuredly, estate plans executed and administered in Orange County and elsewhere across California and the rest of the country are about money.Often, though, that is not exclusively the case. As one estate planning commentator notes in a recent article on probate...