About Me

Estate Planning Essentials: A Guide

Without a Living Trust, most estates end up in probate that can easily take six to twenty months before your property, including cash, can be distributed. Michael is available to prepare all of the basic estate planning documents needed to protect you and those you lov


Estate planning can become more complex in situations that involve blended families, estranged heirs, children from prior marriages, or unmarried partners. At EP Wealth Advisors, we offer tax planning services that are key to estate planning, including potentially minimizing any tax burden for your heirs. As a first step, EP Wealth advisors will provide a one-on-one financial health assessment to determine the overall state of your retirement planning California for long-term security finances. Should you die before your children reach age 18, you can name a guardian in your estate plan if their other parent cannot care for them.
Preparing for your wealth transf

Attend a Free Estate Planning Workshop
As life circumstances change, we may need to update trust provisions to reflect new goals or financial situations. Careful selection of trust assets helps balance protection, accessibility, and tax efficiency. While revocable living trusts offer several estate planning benefits, they have limitations when it comes to asset protectio


You can deal with these individual assets in a "pour-over" will, which directs any remaining assets not included in the trust to be transferred to it upon your death. Unlike a will, a revocable living trust allows you to transfer assets into a trust during your lifetime. However, you can use beneficiary designations to transfer these assets either directly to heirs after you die or to the trust should you wish for the trustee to help manage distributions. Retirement accounts, for example, should not be placed in a retirement planning California for long-term security trust, as the transfer of ownership constitutes a distribution that could create unintended tax consequences.
Do you own a business ?
Although ownership of assets is transferred to the trust, as trustee (or co-trustee with your spouse) you have complete control over them. A will (formally known as a last will and testament) is a relatively cost-efficient way to designate who will inherit your material and financial assets when you die. A revocable living trust may be a good choice if you're transferring a larger or more complex estate, or if you'd like to keep private financial details out of the public record. However, such a will is usually no longer a simple will, and the costs could approach what a revocable trust would have cost. On the other hand, a revoca­ble trust is more complicated than a will because it involves the management of your property during your lifetime, as well as its distribution after your death. The Probate Code provides several methods to probate or administer an estate, some of which can reduce costs if used appropriatel

Why Choose a Revocable Trust?
A living trust, also known as a revocable trust, is a legal document created during a person’s lifetime to manage and distribute assets. We can help you understand your options, including irrevocable trusts, to ensure your family has access to your home and other assets even if there is a verdict against you in the future. Unlike revocable trusts, which can be altered or revoked during the grantor’s lifetime, an irrevocable trust generally cannot be modified once it is establishe


Select an agent or agents to help make medical and financial decisions for you in the event you become incapacitated. The same guardian or a designated guardian of the property can manage any assets intended for your children until they reach a certain age. You should name a trusted individual who can care for your minor children. If you have children under the age of 18, you should name a guardian in your wil


As the name suggests, a revocable living trust can be altered or revoked by the grantor at any time during their lifetime if their circumstances change, so long as they’re mentally competent. Unlike a will, which only takes effect after a person's passing and requires probate, a trust is often active during the grantor's lifetime and can help avoid the need for probate. For individuals who prioritize protecting assets from creditors, minimizing estate taxes, or preserving family wealth across generations, the benefits of an irrevocable trust often outweigh the lack of flexibility. If you prioritize adaptability and the ability to manage your assets during your lifetime, a revocable trust may be the best choice for your estate pla

Understanding Living Trusts
Once our clients understand the rest of the story, they experience a far better outcome. retirement planning California for long-term security Most wills provide for heirs to inherit money and property outright, assuming they are of appropriate age. As a result, a solid estate plan should also include a financial power of attorney, a healthcare power of attorney or advance directive, a HIPPA authorization, and memorial instructions. Most folks think that estate planning is simply specifying "when I die, X." But the foundation of good estate planning also includes providing guidance for managing your finances and health before you die. My parents were good savers and lived frugally, but by the end of my mother’s life, the long-term care facility and unreimbursed medical expenses had gobbled up much of their savings and retiremen