Are you a Mama looking to:

Without a proper estate plan in place, your family will likely have to go through the Probate Court system for a couple of reasons (this will likely take years and cost tens of thousands of dollars). First to decide 'who gets what' from your assets and second to designate a Guardian for your minor children.

The trouble is, without a plan you have no say in these proceedings. While there's a natural element in the law of who should be appointed and who should inherit, there's always the chance that someone you do not want to be guardian for your kids becomes appointed by the Court (i.e.- they're the first to petition the Court and no one knows what you actually would've wanted). Worse yet, there's the chance that no one is able to come forward quickly and the child is placed into State custody. In the case of a divorced couple, there's an almost certain chance that money inherited by your child will be controlled by your ex-spouse! In any event, it's important to put a plan in place to make your wishes known, protect your children, and make the administration phase as easy as possible should something ever happen to you.

If you have a minor child listed as your beneficiary of any asset, including life insurance, that money will ultimately be distributed to the Guardian of your child, but only after an extensive Probate process. Life insurance companies cannot pay a death benefit directly to a minor. The funds will likely be caught up in the Court system until your child reaches 18 years old, often with accountings required annually. The financial support you intended to provide for your minor child may not be readily accessible during this time.

Naming a Trust as the beneficiary eliminates the headache. The trust inherits the funds and the trustee you name will control the funds for your kids until the ages you designate. Up until those ages, the kids can have whatever they need for their health, education, maintenance, and support to ensure they are adequately cared for. This is all done privately amongst family and outside of Probate Court.

A trust is a legal arrangement in which a named person (trustee) holds and manages assets for the benefit of a someone else (beneficiary). There are many different types of trusts, each designed to meet specific needs and goals. Trusts can provide many benefits, such as avoiding probate, minimizing taxes, protecting assets from creditors, and ensuring that assets are distributed according to your wishes. In the case of minor children, a trust can be incredibly helpful in allowing a trusted person who you nominate to manage assets for your children until a certain age, all without having to be hung up in Probate Court.

When we have a minor child, own our home, or have substantial assets saved up (including things like life insurance), a trust will likely be the foundation of our estate plan, though having a comprehensive plan and not just a standalone trust is important.

We start with a complimentary virtual meeting to cover the basics, learn about you, and piece together your plan. Your attorney then drafts your plan and sends you a video review along with the initial drafts to help explain how they work together and cut through the legalese. We discuss updates/questions together until we agree all looks perfect, then our mobile notaries will sign with you at home around your schedule. Your Attorney is directly available to you throughout the entire process and beyond. There's no need to take time off of work or schedule a babysitter just to come into a law office - we'll come to you and make things as easy as possible!

Yes! Our firm stays laser focused on the area of Estate Planning, but we don't just prepare documents. We also help families administer trusts and estates as well, so we stay on top of what works and what doesn't in the real world. This practical experience serves to make our estate plans as iron-clad as possible and makes it very easy for us to guide you through what matters most. It also means we'll be there for your family should they need help administering your plan when the time comes, though most do just fine on their own.

On average 2-3 weeks between the initial drafting and finalization after review, depending on your wishes. You can take as much time as you need to review your plan and work through questions though, so no rush. Expedited plans available as well, just tell us your timeline when we first talk.

No! Why sit through traffic, take multiple days off work, and/or book a babysitter just to come into an attorney's office? Our virtual approach allows us to come to you without losing the touch of personal service. When your plan is ready to sign, our partnered mobile notary will come to you around your schedule to finalize everything. Stay in touch with your attorney anytime via phone, text, email, or Zoom, at your preference, without losing any valuable time.

To give you an honest answer here we really need to know what we're drafting first. Your plan is customized around your wishes, goals, and assets, so there are many variables that may change exactly what we set up or how we custom tailor it. To give you an idea for trust-based plans involving fairly simple wishes and assets though, our flat fees typically start at $2,500 / $3,000 (single / married) and that will cover a comprehensive plan for the vast majority of our clients (Living Trust, Guardianship Nominations, Will(s), Certification of Trust, Schedule of Assets, Gift Lists, Medical Directive(s), HIPAA Release(s), Financial Power(s) of Attorney, Trust Transfer Deed for primary home, County Recording, & Notarization). A majority of clients are covered with this plan as it addresses all of their wishes, but in our initial meeting together we'll discuss if you need anything additional based upon your individual wishes and assets.

Absolutely! Recording your primary home trust transfer deed with your County Recorder is included in our basic flat rate. Additional fees apply for secondary properties, but we will absolutely take care of recording all deeds at the County on your behalf. We'll also guide you on getting financial accounts into the trust as well. This step is key to helping your family avoid Probate.

We typically collect half of your overall plan fee when we agree to work with one another and the remaining half at the end of the process when everything is ready for notarization. All invoices are sent via email for credit card payment, so it’s about as easy as can be. 

No! Unlike a surprising number of estate plans in the marketplace, our plans are completely customized to fit your needs. We can use a flat-fee structure for most of our plans because we’ve been doing this long enough that we know what most of our clients are going to want at least generally, and we’ve probably already drafted similar provisions that we can further customize to your needs. That allows us to project how much time we’ll likely be spending on your plan and arrive at a flat-fee that works for both parties. That said, more complex wishes (i.e- we need a spreadsheet to map out all of your contingencies), specialized clauses, or unique situations may cause your plan to be quoted a higher price than our typical base flat fees. We will not include any surprises in your bill though, you will know your quote well before we ever agree to work with one another (usually by the conclusion of our initial phone call).

Life happens, and your planning should be flexible to accommodate changes that do come up. Simply email the attorney you worked with to let them know you need to make updates and they’ll guide you through the process based on what is changing. We’ll soon be offering a client care program where you can store your documents, make updates anytime you need, and stay up to date on the laws affecting your plan anytime as well! (expected fall of 2023)

A revocable trust can be changed or revoked by the creator of the trust at any time during their lifetime, whereas an irrevocable trust cannot be changed or revoked once it is created. Revocable trusts are often used for estate planning purposes, as they can provide flexibility and control during the creator's lifetime while also avoiding probate. Irrevocable trusts, on the other hand, are often used for asset protection or tax planning purposes, as they can provide greater protection from creditors and minimize estate taxes.

Special needs trusts can be used to provide for a loved one with disabilities or special needs without jeopardizing their eligibility for government benefits such as Medi-Cal/Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These trusts can be designed to provide for the beneficiary's needs while also preserving their eligibility for benefits. Special needs trusts can be funded with a variety of assets, such as cash, real estate, or investments, and can be managed by a trustee who has experience working with individuals with special needs.