Posted on October 15, 2021 in Advance Medical Directives

A living will, which you may also hear called an “advance directive,” is one legal document that everyone should have. In the event that you are not able to express your wishes due to injury or illness, a living will can be used to govern what types of medical care you will receive. It is important to make a living will, because it is the best way you can make your wishes known in advance. This document generally covers things like whether you would want to be resuscitated, or receive life-prolonging care if you are terminally ill. An attorney can help you decide what provisions to include in your living will and other healthcare planning documents.

What Does a Living Will Include?

A living will makes your wishes known regarding the types of medical treatment you do or do not want in the event that you become incapacitated and can no longer make decisions. It may include provisions related to:

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 Posted on September 17, 2021 in Estate Planning

Every July 1st, there are usually a handful of new laws that California lawmakers have passed that go into effect. Included in the list this year were several real estate laws. The following is a brief overview of each of these new statutes. If you have questions about how any of these new laws may affect your situation, a California real estate attorney can help.

New Buyer Fire Notice

AB 38 was passed to protect new home buyers from purchasing a property without being aware the home is located in a high fire risk area. It requires a seller to provide a list of all items that are not fire-resistant and that could be at risk in the event of a wildfire. This specific document must now be part of the closing package that a buyer must sign to confirm they have been informed of the risk. The form also provides information on how a buyer can prepare their home for wildfires. This is referred to as fire hardening.

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 Posted on August 11, 2021 in Estate Planning

According to national statistics, approximately 31 million Americans move each year. Some move across town, while others move across the state. However, about four million move to a different state. Out-of-state moves can be stressful to coordinate, especially if you have a family and an entire household to move. There are also all of the things you need to do when you arrive in your new state – including finding out about your children’s new schools, finding new doctors, dentists, hair salons, grocery stores – the list goes on. But what many people never think about is that by moving to a new state, they also need to update their estate plans.    

Estate Laws

If you have had a qualified estate planning attorney help you with your estate plan, it likely contains a variety of documents that stipulate how you want your assets and property to be distributed upon your death. Estate plans can contain a will, living trust, advance directive (living will), and power of attorney, along with other documents, depending on your own personal situation.

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 Posted on July 28, 2021 in Estate Planning

One of the benefits of creating an estate plan is ensuring that your wishes are honored throughout the rest of your life and after your death. Through your will, trusts, powers of attorney, and other estate planning instruments, you can lay out a clear plan for your assets and your end-of-life care. However, you will need people to help you carry out the terms of your estate plan when you are no longer able to do so on your own. An important part of estate planning is choosing the right people to fill a variety of roles.

Naming Your Chosen Representatives

As you work on your estate plan, here are some of the roles that you may need to appoint:

• Estate executor - After your death, your estate executor will be your representative throughout the probate process and the administration of your will. The executor will be responsible for safeguarding your assets, resolving outstanding obligations to creditors, and distributing your assets to your named beneficiaries. You can designate your executor in your will, and it may be a good idea to name an alternative in case your first choice is unable to perform their duties.

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