When is the best time to start your estate plan? TLDR: As soon as you’re an adult (18 years old), you’ll need to designate someone else to make decisions for you if you are unable or unwilling to make those decisions for yourself.

If you don’t have an estate plan, then your loved ones are going to have a tough time if you are ever incapacitated and at the time that you die. In this post, we explore what would be helpful to have at different stages.

Why do I need a Living Trust — and What is a Living Trust Anyway? A living trust is like a contract you create with yourself about what is going to happen to your assets if you are incapacitated and at the time that you die. It avoids probate court, is a private document, and ensures incapacity planning.

Do you need a trust if you have a will in California? Most people do, and here’s why: it allows for incapacity planning and it avoids probate court.

If you’ve got kids who are under 18, you need to select a guardian; here are tips for how to choose those people.

Why is a will not enough in California? TLDR: A will alone does not help you avoid probate! A comprehensive estate plan is the best way to ensure that you avoid probate court during your lifetime and after you die.

Secure Password Storage for Death: A Guide

FAQ in California Estate Planning

Selecting a guardian for your minor children is incredibly difficult. This guide provides some helpful tips to consider!

Disinheriting means excluding a family member from receiving anything from your estate. And it’s important you do it correctly.

Terminology used in estate planning can be confusing. Here’s a summary of important terms to know.

Everyone over 18 years old needs some form of an estate plan in California.

The first, and most important thing you need to do when someone dies is grieve.

If you die without a will in California, then the state decides who gets your stuff and things. There’s an order of preference depending on who survives you, but it can take a long time to get there!

The key is: tell someone where your estate plan is located.

A will and a trust are part of a comprehensive estate plan in California; the will helps with three aspects of your plan.

Emailing your “will” is unlikely to be valid in California; there are other ways to make your wishes known.

A power of attorney does something different than a trust does something different than a will. Here’s a summary of the most frequently used terms and their definitions.

What happens if you die without a will? The state gets to decide where your stuff goes.

Three reasons to estate plan now: you have more than $184,500 in assets; you have kids; or you want to make life easier for your loved ones if you’re incapacitated or deceased.