Senior Associate Joseph Patton has again been designated a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Estate & Trust Litigation in 2021. The recognition comes as no surprise as he enjoys rolling up his sleeves to help clients resolve disputes and challenges they face when it...
In many states, there is a lack of proper funding attributed to ensuring that conservators are treating family members with kindness and respect. This has led to conservatorship abuse in California and other states. Still, there are options you can pursue to prevent a...
California residents have many different estate planning tools that they can utilize. Two of the most common are wills and beneficiary designations. Unfortunately, sometimes what each one states conflicts with the other. Knowing what to do in this event can help you...
Unfortunately, will and trust contests can occur despite the most meticulous planning. You can avoid these potential issues by double-checking the beneficiary designations on all of your California life insurance policies and retirement accounts. Beneficiary...
The executor of your California estate is the person who is appointed to represent your interests during the probate process. In some cases, an attorney will assist the estate representative in carrying out his or her duties. If necessary, an executor can be relieved...
Financial abuse of the elderly is not uncommon. Sadly, and not surprisingly, abusers usually are family members, caregivers or trusted friends. These people already play a role in their lives. They have been inside their homes, likely have a key to enter and know...
Many people assume that they have more than enough time to create a trust when they want to prepare for passing on their money and assets after they die in California. Unfortunately, many issues and complications can come with creating a trust at the last minute. Some...
While estate planning may be seen as an ironclad way to ensure that one’s assets are handled appropriately upon their death, that’s not always the case. In some situations, California citizens may be deemed to have diminished capacity at the time that they signed...
You could write a concise, all-encompassing will in California, but a single mistake could throw the entire will into question. You could also leave your will in the hands of the wrong person, resulting in a conflict of interest. Here are a few common estate planning...
As people in California age, it might be hard for them to effectively manage their finances. In these types of situations, a judge typically appoints a conservator or trustee. This person’s role is to help someone else manage their money. Unfortunately, someone in...