Estate Planning Archives - Page 2 of 7

Joint Accounts vs. Power of Attorney: Making the Right Choice for Your Future

Posted on March 6, 2025

While meeting with clients, as a San Diego estate planning lawyer, I often hear this question: "Should I add my family member to my accounts as a joint owner, or set up a Power of Attorney?" While adding a joint owner might seem like the simpler solution, the answer isn't as straightforward...

Smart Gifting: A San Diego Estate Lawyer’s Guide to Supporting Your Grandchildren’s Future

Posted on February 28, 2025

As a San Diego estate lawyer, I often meet grandparents who want to provide financial support for their grandchildren while ensuring their generosity doesn't inadvertently create complications. Whether you're thinking about college funding or creating a lasting financial legacy, strategic planning can help maximize your gift's impact. Understanding the...

Making a Change: Working with a New San Diego Estate Planning Lawyer

Posted on February 21, 2025

Many of us hesitate to change professional relationships, especially when it comes to legal matters. As a San Diego estate planning lawyer, I often meet people who have become estate planning orphans. Perhaps their original attorney has retired, passed away or you never really connected with them, moving to a new attorney...

Right-Sizing Your Trust: A San Diego Trust Lawyer Explains What Really Matters

Posted on February 13, 2025

One of the most frequent questions I hear as a San Diego trust lawyer is, "Is my estate large enough to justify a living trust?" Behind this question often lies a deeper concern: "Am I making the right choice for my family's future?" Let me share something that might surprise you –...

Beware These Estate Scams: A San Diego Probate Lawyer’s Guide to Protecting Grieving Families

Posted on February 7, 2025

As a San Diego probate lawyer, I've witnessed firsthand how scammers exploit families during their most vulnerable moments. The days and weeks following a loved one's passing should be a time for healing and remembrance – not defending against fraud. Let me share some crucial insights to help protect your family during...

Trust Mills: Why Mass-Produced Estate Planning Could Put Your Family at Risk

Posted on January 30, 2025

As a San Diego trust lawyer, I often meet families who've been targeted by aggressive marketing from what's known as a "trust mill." These clients usually come to us worried, clutching generic trust documents that are barely worth the paper they're printed on. While the low prices might have been attractive initially,...

San Diego Estate Lawyer Explains: Your Inherited IRA May Be at Risk

Posted on January 23, 2025

You've carefully built your retirement savings over decades, but did you know that once inherited, these accounts could be vulnerable to creditors? As a San Diego estate lawyer with experience in asset protection planning, I've seen too many families surprised when inherited retirement accounts they thought were protected ended up exposed to...

Will Lawyer in San Diego Explains: Creating Estate Plans for Hospitalized Loved Ones

Posted on December 30, 2024

As one of the few will lawyers in San Diego still willing to make hospital calls, I often receive urgent calls from families with loved ones in the hospital. They're concerned about getting legal documents in place quickly, especially if their loved one's condition might deteriorate. It's a delicate situation that requires...

Commercial Property in Your Estate Plan: Advice from a San Diego Estate, Will, and Trust Lawyer on Protecting Your Real Estate Legacy

Posted on December 13, 2024

If you own commercial property, you've likely spent years building and managing your real estate investments. As a San Diego estate will and trust lawyer, I've guided many property owners through the complex process of including these valuable assets in their estate plans. The truth is, passing down commercial property requires...

The Dynamic Duo of Your Financial Future: How San Diego Estate Planning Lawyers and Financial Advisors Collaborate

Posted on August 28, 2024

When you decide it's time to get serious about your future, you might be surprised to learn that you need not one, but two professionals in your corner: an estate planning lawyer and a financial advisor. Many people assume these roles are interchangeable or that one professional can handle it all. Spoiler alert:...