Mary had just turned 79 and was recovering from a heart attack and open-heart surgery—a major health event that had made her rethink her life. While Mary still lived alone in the family home, she got a lot of help from her adult children, who lived nearby. Her daughter Alice...
For many people these days, working remotely is the way business gets done, and California Document Preparers is able to accommodate clients who live outside the greater Bay Area. We frequently get calls from those who are located in different parts of California or even different states who would like...
Remember the old thing about “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” Our client, “Matt”, spent a wild weekend in Vegas and ended up married. He and his wife, “Zoe”, realized that whatever happened in Vegas clearly stayed right there. By the time they got home, Matt and Zoe knew...
“Julie” came in to our Oakland office to get more information about creating a Living Trust. She and her husband headed a blended family, and theirs was a complex scenario. Wanting to avoid going to an attorney, she was hoping we could help her. She and her husband, “Jerry”, had...
A recent experience with a Living Trust client brought up an issue that frequently surfaces for those who are dividing their estates among their children. “Joe” and “Marilyn” were planning to gift real property equally to their son, “Tony” and daughter, “Sarah”. In the beneficiary section of the Trust, they...
We helped a Berkeley couple, “Brad” and “Sonya”, get a Legal Separation four years ago. They’d been married for eight years and had two young children. Their relationship had become increasingly troubled, yet they were not ready for Divorce; rather, they believed that taking the steps to legally separate was...
Oakland resident “Henry” came in to update his Living Trust after his wife died. Their Trust was amendable by the survivor, and he wanted to make some changes. Henry and his wife had created their Trust 25 years ago, and while it named their five children as beneficiaries, it did...
Probate is never easy for a family. It comes at a time of loss and grieving. Depending on the complexity of the estate, it can be extremely time-consuming, and it can be expensive. There’s generally also a sense of remorse. If parents or loved ones had only created a Living...
A young father from Alamo, “Charlie”, came in to the Walnut Creek office to get more information about our uncontested Divorce process. He wanted to know how we worked with our clients, how much the Divorce would cost and how long it would take. This is something that happens fairly...
Three young people, Bruce, Becky, and Bryce came in to our Walnut Creek office for assistance with a Probate. Their father, just 52, had died unexpectedly of a heart attack in November. They’d all been close to their father, who had single-handedly raised them after their mother died. He had...
Case Study by Bill Schaaf, Walnut Creek A 60-year old Antioch woman came in to our Walnut Creek office because she needed assistance creating Living Trusts for both herself and her ex-husband. “Anna” and “George” divorced seven years ago after more than 20 years of marriage and three grown children. Now, it...
This story is a cautionary tale, an example of the potentially costly consequences of well-intentioned efforts from a family member. Barbara Theobald, who has worked in our Walnut Creek office for more than eight years, was contacted by “Sherry”, a previous Living Trust client. Sherry needed assistance solving a dilemma with...
