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Importance of Death Certificates in Administering Decedent’s assets.

In California, certified death certificates are essential for initiating estate administration, determining jurisdiction via the decedent’s residence, and managing beneficiary rights. These documents are required to transfer title for joint tenancy or real property, claim retirement assets, to claim Pay on Death (“POD”) and Transfer on Death (“TOD”) financial accounts, and to initiate probate and […]

posted on: July 17, 2026

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Asset by Asset and Estate by Estate Approach to Administration.

Settling a decedent’s estate can involve multiple approaches and even multiple estates, due to the nature of the decedent’s assets involved and how such assets are variously titled. Each asset is considered on its own terms. Each estate is separately administered. Depending on whether a decedent had effective and complete estate planning, the administration of […]

posted on: July 4, 2026

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Settling a decedent’s estate can involve multiple approaches and even multiple estates, due to the nature of the decedent’s assets involved and how such assets are variously titled. Each asset is considered on its own terms. Each estate is separately administered. Depending on whether a decedent had effective and complete estate planning, the administration of […]

posted on: July 4, 2026

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Gifts to Friends and Care Givers

Friends and unrelated care givers are not treated the same as family in the California Probate Code; they are never one’s heirs. Nevertheless, people do leave gifts to friends and unrelated care givers. Heirs are favorably entitled to inherit a deceased person’s estate in the absence of any will or trust. One’s heirs depends on […]

posted on: June 12, 2026

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Estate Planning Considerations for People Living Alone.

If an individual lives alone without any children or spouse (i.e., “a lone individual”), more consideration is needed as to who will step in as a representative and manage the person’s financial, legal, and health decision making if the individual becomes disabled. Lone individuals can be socially isolated and more prone to fraudsters who befriend […]

posted on: May 29, 2026

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Getting Support without Giving Up Control

As people grow older and experience disabilities they may need or seek some support – often from a child – with important decision making or with managing their assets, income and expenses. But they may not be ready to completely transfer their control. What they want is a middle ground where someone assists them but […]

posted on: May 29, 2026

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Estate Planning for the Primary Residence

A person’s primary residence is often their most valuable asset. What happens after the owner dies depends on whether any estate planning was done in advance. Let us discuss the issues and the options. Is any debt owed on the primary residence? Any unpaid mortgage will be due and payable when the owner dies unless […]

posted on: April 24, 2026

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Protecting Dependents if you are Disabled.

Estate planning includes, but is not limited to, who inherits what assets when a person dies. It also includes who manages and controls your assets when you are disabled or otherwise unable to property manage your legal, financial and property affairs. Such disability planning may benefit other loved ones, such as spouses, children, and elderly […]

posted on: April 24, 2026

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Transferring valuable personal property assets into a trust.

A trust is a legal arrangement in which trust assets are controlled and managed by a trustee for the benefit of the trust beneficiaries according to the terms of a trust. Only assets that are held in trust are controlled by the trustee. It is important to transfer assets into the trust in order to […]

posted on: March 27, 2026

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