Any reason to not use a Certified Specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law?  Ok, there isn’t any good reason I admit it.  You MIGHT save a few dollars as some attorneys, who are not specialists, charge less. However, do you really want to entrust all of your hard earned assets and your family’s […]

Probate takes seven months minimum in California. Can be longer but a full California probate will not be shorter than 7 months. Let me explain…. Let’s hypothetically say we meet today, June 26, 2012, to sign your probate documents. I often file documents within 24 hours of the initial meeting so let’s say we file […]

Estate planning is not just about giving your stuff away when you die. It’s about giving your stuff away when you die in the most efficient manner possible and providing the best protections allowable to your loved ones. This is the most simple asset protection available. Anybody that does not include some form of trust […]

Estate planning is more than planning for after death. You can use trusts, and other entities, to create asset protection.  The key is planning AHEAD. Do not wait until you have a problem. Take reasonable precautions by planning ahead.  You can use revocable trusts to create creditor protection for your kids.  You can use irrevocable […]

This is a very useful bulletin issued by the IRS for anybody with taxable estates having one spouse die. The issue of portability is of keen importance to those people where one spouse has died.  Read up and ask your attorney for clarification!  -John Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2011-42 October 17, 2011 Notice 2011-82 Guidance on […]

As I mentioned recently Sacramento county probate Court has several local forms on their website. Here are links to two forms that are required when doing a probate MEDIATION. https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/forms/docs/pr-001.pdf https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/forms/docs/pr-002.pdf

California Probate Form DE 350 Petition for Appointment of Guardian Ad Litem is important for cases where a minor needs representation. This can be any cases where a minor’s financial interests may be at stake. In those instances Form DE 350 is used to ask the Court to appoint a guardian ad litem to protect […]

People sign their wills, put them in a safe place and then forget about them.  Many people put their will, or trust, in such a safe place that they forget where it is. Sometimes it’s so safe, and so secret, that their family members can’t find it. This can be a problem after death.  I […]

California Probate Form DE-315 Order Determining Succession to Real Property is the order that goes with the DE 310 petition.  That is, first you file the form 310 petition and if it’s approved the Judge would sign a form 315 order. Of course you have to complete the order, to match the petition, and then […]

Sacramento County has local probate forms which are crucial for many probate cases filed in Sacramento. I will go into details on each form in the coming weeks but here is the link to the page. Scroll down to probate once there. https://www.saccourt.ca.gov/forms/