Creating an estate plan in 2019 looked a little bit like this: you and your spouse or partner, perhaps along with your adult children, would make an appointment at an Orange County estate planning lawyer’s office to go over your plans. A week or so later, you’d receive drafts of your documents in the mail …
How to Create an Estate Plan During COVID-19 | Orange County Estate Planning Lawyers Read More »
As the coronavirus continues to impact life as we know it here in the United States, the most common question we’ve been asked during the course of the pandemic is whether an existing estate plan should be changed or updated. Of course, the answer to that question (like most things in life) is that it …
Should I Update My Estate Plan Because of COVID-19? Read More »
Intellectual property – ideas or works of art that have value but don’t originate in material reality – are considered personal property and may be bequeathed to heirs. There is well-established law on intellectual property and estate law for those who want their heirs to benefit from the fruits of their labors. If you’re creating …
As estate planning and elder law attorneys, our practice is dedicated to serving our most vulnerable citizens, including seniors, those who are ill, disabled, experiencing mental health challenges and children with special needs. We deeply understand the anxiety and hardships that the current coronavirus outbreak is causing to everyone in our community. We have also heard from many …
COVID-19: Office Precautions & Flexible Meetings for Clients Read More »
Every estate planning attorney in Orange County has, at some point in their career, heard a sad story about complications in handling a loved one’s estate. Legal language can be tricky, and sometimes a minor mistake can cause major problems. One way to prevent potential conflict among family members or a lengthy and expensive probate …
Estate planning for a married couple is often pretty straightforward: you leave all of your property and money to your spouse, who also takes care of the minor children. But what happens if both parents pass away unexpectedly, or if you’re a single parent creating an estate plan? Parents will usually say “then the children …
Orange County Estate Planning Lawyer: How to Leave Money or Property to Minor Children Read More »
By Orange County Will and Trust Lawyer Darlynn Morgan Modern American families come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and configurations. This creates unique circumstances when creating wills and trusts and putting long-term care plans in place. There is always potential for conflict when it comes to estate planning in general, but the added element of …
Orange County Will and Trust Lawyer Offers Estate Planning Tips for Blended Families Read More »
By Orange County Will and Estate Lawyer Darlynn Morgan Excluding someone from your will, particularly if it’s your spouse or your child, can be complicated. In some states, it’s not even allowed. Leaving out people who wouldn’t automatically receive any of your estate is usually as simple as just not including them. However, if you …
As tax laws have evolved over the years, some tools of estate planning have become outdated. What was once beneficial to a surviving spouse may no longer be the best option. A bypass trust, combined with a survivor’s trust to form what’s known as an AB trust, is often used by affluent couples as a …
What You Need to Know About Terminating a Bypass Trust Read More »
By Orange County Estate Planning Attorney, Darlynn Morgan If you’ve heard of a 529 Plan, you probably think of it as a means of education funding for your children or your grandchildren. These plans are sponsored by state agencies or educational institutions, and they’re available to people of all income brackets. While a 529 Plan …