Blog Posts in April, 2015 Posted By Hannah Sargent 29-Apr-2015 When Should I Have My Trust Reviewed? A revocable living trust is a living, breathing document. You can, and should, make changes to it. Once you lose capacity, or die, the trust generally cannot be changed. As a rule-of-thumb, you should conduct a review of your trust every five years. ... Continue Reading Posted By Hannah Sargent 27-Apr-2015 What Is an Advanced Healthcare Directive? An advanced healthcare directive, or durable power of attorney for healthcare, is the document which authorizes a person (your agent) to make medical and immediate post-death decisions for you when you are unable to make them for yourself. Advanced ... Continue Reading Posted By Hannah Sargent 24-Apr-2015 The Basics of a Durable Power of Attorney In California, a durable power of attorney is a vital part of a well thought out estate plan. The kind of power of attorney discussed is a power of attorney for finances. The powers enumerated in this document give your agent, or your ... Continue Reading Posted By Hannah Sargent 23-Apr-2015 Do I Need a Will or a Trust (Part 2)? In the previous post we discussed the costs and benefits of the two documents: a will and a trust. In this section we discuss the following factors which play into the decision: your particular family situation, the number and type of your assets, ... Continue Reading Posted By Hannah Sargent 22-Apr-2015 Do I Need a Will or a Trust? (Part One) Whether you should prepare a will or trust is a personal decision dependent on many factors. Some of the most important factors include: your family situation, the number and type of your assets, and whether reducing the cost of your estate ... Continue Reading Posted By Hannah Sargent 21-Apr-2015 What Do I Do If I Can't Find the Will? Many families do not know if their loved one has a will or where to look for it unless the decedent has told them. If the decedent has a safe, lock box or a safety deposit box, these are the first places the family should begin looking. Very often, ... Continue Reading Posted By Hannah Sargent 21-Apr-2015 How Much Does Probate Cost in California? Although there are no minimum fees for probate in California, probate fee maximums are set by statute, California Probate Code Sections 10810-10814. Nearly every attorney, unless special circumstances exist, charges the maximum allow fee. This is ... Continue Reading Posted By Hannah Sargent 21-Apr-2015 How Long Will a Typical Probate Case Take? One of the first questions a client will ask me when coming to my office for probate is how long is this going to take? (The second, of course, is how much is it going to cost. ) Potential executors are overwhelmed with the thought of managing ... Continue Reading