“I can’t in good conscience say, ‘Yeah, it’s okay to have a big celebration.’ There is no 100% safe way for two households to get together for the holidays in any area where Covid is circulating, which currently includes the entire United States.”...
We’ve all read disturbing stories about elder abuse, and it may be these stories that contribute to a reluctance by many seniors to create a Power of Attorney. The Agent you name as your Power of Attorney will be responsible for determining where and how you live out your life....
When their father died, Allison was surprised to learn that she had been named Successor Trustee of the family Trust. It seemed like a stretch—her brother, Oliver, was a banker, and her sister, Zoe, a lawyer. She, on the other hand, was a wife and mother with an unused elementary...
This is a story with which many will be familiar. We likely know a friend, colleague or family member who has gone through just this kind of tragic situation. It starts with two mature people, Jack and Stella, who meet, fall in love and begin a committed relationship that lasts...
The reluctance or downright unwillingness to talk to parents and grandparents about the difficult topic of end-of-life planning is one that frequently arises in our offices. It ranges from “Mom’s a terrible driver and shouldn’t be behind the wheel, but nobody will confront her” to “Dad’s health is deteriorating, and...
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...
“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...
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...
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...
