If you own real estate in California and haven’t placed it in a living trust, your property is almost certainly going through probate. Many homeowners assume a will is enough to ensure their wishes are followed. Unfortunately, in California, a will alone does not prevent your estate from entering probate court.
If you own a home or have financial assets in California, a living trust isn’t just helpful—it’s foundational to protecting what you’ve built.
The word “trust” often brings to mind images of generational wealth, sprawling estates, or complicated legal tools meant only for the ultra-rich. In reality, trusts are one of the most flexible and accessible estate planning options, especially for those with creative, personal, or non-traditional assets. If you’re an artist, designer, collector, or someone who has spent time curating a meaningful home or body of work, a trust isn’t about extravagance. It’s about protecting the intention behind what you’ve built. More Than Who Gets What: It’s [...]
In Palm Springs, art, architecture, and design aren’t just aesthetic choices. They’re reflections of identity. A meticulously restored Alexander home. A contemporary photography collection. A house filled with curated pieces gathered over decades. These aren’t just assets; they’re your legacy. Unless they’re treated as such in your estate plan, they can be overlooked, mishandled, or lost altogether. In my practice, I’ve worked with many clients whose lives are steeped in design and creative expression—but whose estate plans don’t yet reflect the significance of those assets. [...]
Same-sex couples currently have nationwide recognition for their marriages—and with it, access to many of the same rights and protections long afforded to heterosexual spouses. Not all same-sex couples decide to get married. If you’re in a same-sex relationship, and especially if you’re part of a blended or nontraditional family, estate planning remains every bit as critical today as it was before marriage equality became the law of the land and may be even more so as we are living in uncertain times. Here in [...]
When most people think about estate planning, they focus on the documents: wills, trusts, powers of attorney. But few realize that even the most carefully drafted estate plan can unravel if the wrong person is put in charge of carrying it out. That person is your executor (or successor trustee, in the case of a trust)—and their role is more than symbolic. They are the one tasked with collecting your assets, paying debts and taxes, distributing inheritances, and ensuring your wishes are honored. But what [...]
When most people think about creating an estate plan, they picture paperwork: wills, trusts, powers of attorney. And while these legal documents are essential, they don’t tell the full story of who you are or what matters most to you. True legacy planning goes beyond dividing assets — it’s about capturing the essence of your life, your values, and the love you leave behind. One beautiful way to enhance your legacy is by including personal letters to your loved ones as part of your plan. [...]
When we talk about stress, we often think about our overflowing inboxes, mounting bills, or the unpredictability of daily life. But one of the most overlooked, yet deeply impactful, sources of stress is what happens during times of death, illness, and financial uncertainty. And nothing makes those moments harder than being unprepared. As an estate planning attorney, I’ve seen firsthand how families struggle through heartbreaking and complicated transitions simply because they didn’t have a plan in place. That’s why I want to highlight an area [...]
You might’ve heard the term Legacy Planning floating around lately—it’s becoming more and more common, and for good reason. While it may sound like a fancier version of estate planning, Legacy Planning has a slightly different focus: it’s not just about what happens after you’re gone, but about how you want to impact future generations. As an estate planning attorney here in California, I’ve had several clients recently ask, “Can we talk about Legacy Planning?” And my answer is always “Yes, absolutely”. What Is Legacy [...]
Are you a California resident who has not yet established an Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD)? If so, you need to consider doing so sooner rather than later, not only to protect your loved ones but to protect yourself as well. Each state provides a default healthcare decision-making process if you fail to plan. This default process comes in a one-size-fits-all approach that may not align with your personal wishes. For many individuals, the state's default plan may spell disaster! What Is an Advance Health [...]