Uncategorized Archives - The Law Office of Dennis Fordham

Conversations to have about Estate Planning

Conversations about estate planning are necessary or helpful when family circumstances are complicated (e.g., blended families, estrangement, caregiving children, special-needs or dependent children, or heirs who cannot manage money). Some talks are purely informational (explaining what will happen). Others seek input or collaboration on practical solutions and implementation. Challenging circumstances often force parents to decide […]

posted on: March 6, 2026

Intentional Interference with an Expected Inheritance

Most people have heard of Will Contests and Trust Contests where the validity of a will or trust is contested by allegations of undue influence or lack of capacity to execute the will or trust. These contests occur in probate court, not civil court. Far fewer people know about the Intentional Interference with an Expected […]

posted on: February 20, 2026

Taking Care of Pets and Other Animals in One’s Estate Planning.

Pets and other animals (e.g., livestock) are important to people and can even feel like family to their owners. Animals can be expensive. They need veterinary care and board and care in the event that the owner is no longer able to take care of them. That is why one’s estate planning should consider the […]

posted on: February 5, 2026

Understanding Capacity for Decision Making.

Capacity is the ability to understand and to appreciate the consequences of a decision. Does the person understand the risks, benefits and options associated with the decision(s) to be made. Capacity is a threshold requirement at law for decision making. The more involved (difficult) the decision making the more cognitive ability is needed to have […]

posted on: January 23, 2026

Using the Right Estate Planning Approach

Estate planning can involve a wide variety of asset types, such as, money, stocks and bonds, real estate, life insurance, personal property, and sometimes business interests. How these different assets are managed during the owner’s life and later distributed at death depends on the asset type, the person’s situation and estate planning approaches used. It […]

posted on: January 12, 2026

Estate Planning and the return of Medi-Cal Gifting Provisions

With the restoration of the Medi-Cal eligibility asset test on January 1, 2026 (back to where it existed in July 2022), some people may want to consider whether to include specific gifting provisions in their power of attorney and in their living trust for Medi-Cal eligibility purposes. Such provisions authorize the person’s trustee or agent […]

posted on: December 24, 2025

Transfer of Assets in 2025 Before Restored Medi-Cal Asset Test on January 1, 2026.

On January 1, 2026, California’s Medi-Cal program restores its prior asset test used to determine eligibility for Medi-Cal benefits, as the rule existed on July 1, 2022. This means reinstating the associated resource limits, and exemptions and asset counting rules. This applies to all Medi-Cal recipients except the Medi-Cal recipients enrolled under the Affordable Care […]

posted on: November 9, 2025

Drafting Flexibility into Trusts.

Discretionary decision making authority over the administration of the trust or its assets directly can be delegated or reserved to the settlor(s). Persons with discretionary decision making may include the trustee(s), trust protectors, trust directors, and holders of powers of appointment. Provisions for trust protectors and trust directors, however, is not typically seen in most […]

posted on: October 24, 2025

Considerations when selecting a successor trustee.

A successor trustee has authority as trustee when the settlor of the trust becomes incapacitated or dies. A trustee has fiduciary (legal) representative authority and powers to manage and control trust assets according to the terms of the trust for the benefit of the trust beneficiaries. When persons as settlors establish their living trust a […]

posted on: October 10, 2025

Keeping Financial Assets Current with Estate Planning

People are often think that establishing a living trust and signing a power of attorney is all that they need to do to control their assets in the event of incapacity and eventual death. This can be a costly misunderstanding. It is necessary to retitle assets to the living trust and to update designation of […]

posted on: September 25, 2025

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