Many pet owners view their pets as family members, and making sure they receive care after an owner’s passing becomes an important consideration. Planning ahead can ensure a smooth transition for your pets and peace of mind for you. Naming a caretaker The first step...
Estate Planning
How can charitable trusts be used to minimize estate taxes?
Charitable trusts offer a valuable tool for estate planning, allowing individuals to support charitable causes while also reducing estate taxes. These trusts can provide significant tax benefits and help ensure a legacy of philanthropy. Understanding how charitable...
Choosing the best guardian for your child while estate planning
Selecting a guardian for your children is one of the most critical decisions you'll make during estate planning. Choosing a guardian is a deeply personal decision that requires careful consideration. By evaluating sensitive factors, you can ensure that your children...
3 things your future executor needs to know
Planning for the future involves more than just drafting a will. It also requires careful consideration of who will execute your wishes after you are gone. Your chosen executor plays a key role in ensuring that desires with regard to your estate come to fruition. To...
5 things that you should not include in your will
Planning your will involves more than just deciding who gets what. It is about making sure your wishes are clearly stated and legally sound. While it is important to outline your assets and beneficiaries, there are also things you should deliberately leave out. By...
Including contingent beneficiaries in your estate plan
Your first choices of who will inherit from you likely are your children or your spouse. However, what if one or more of your intended heirs die before you do? Your assets may end up in the hands of someone you do not want to inherit from you. This is just one reason...
Grounds to contest wills and safeguarding against them
Wills contain the final exertion of the human will and heart. They reflect an individual's last wishes and care for friends, family and other parties. However, if not iron-clad, wills can face contestation and overturning. There are various grounds on which others may...
Reasons you need to update your estate plan
Estate planning secures your financial future so your wishes happen when you die, and it serves as a tool for managing your assets and protecting your loved ones. Unfortunately, it is not a one-and-done process. To make sure your estate plan in Bakersfield remains...
How is an estate divided without a will in California?
Losing a loved one is emotionally challenging enough. But then, what if this loved one possesses properties? Dealing with the legalities of estate division can add stress, especially between inheritors. Things can get even more complicated if the deceased did not...
Choosing the best advance directive for your health care
When it comes to planning for the future, individuals often overlook one essential aspect of health care: advance directives. These legal documents outline your preferences for medical treatments in case you cannot communicate your wishes. With the myriad of options...