by Christine Brown | Nov 30, 2017 | Estate Planning |
Being a responsible parent is usually associated with bedtime stories with toddlers, homework reminders for grade schoolers and trying to decide whether or not your teenager is responsible enough to drive to school on his or her own. Creating an estate plan for those...
by Christine Brown | Nov 24, 2017 | Special Needs Children, Special Needs Planning |
Children with special needs, or Children with Special Health Care Needs as defined by the Social Security Act, are eligible to receive a number of government benefits to pay for the aid, care, and services that are available to them. There are many ways a child can...
by Christine Brown | Nov 15, 2017 | Estate Planning, Pet Planning, Pet Trust |
Not too long ago, a person who decided to leave an inheritance behind for their pet might be considered eccentric, to say the least. Take, for example, the case of Leona Helmsley: when she died in 2007, she left her dog Trouble an inheritance worth $12 million. While...
by Christine Brown | Nov 8, 2017 | Estate Planning, Probate |
Many people plan for their retirement by using Roth IRAs due to their great tax benefits, but most don’t know that Roth IRAs are also excellent for avoiding probate. First, here are some basics about tax planning with Roth IRAs that Los Angeles County probate lawyers...
by Christine Brown | Oct 30, 2017 | Elder Abuse, Elder Law |
The elderly are too often targets of unscrupulous individuals who may try to take an unsuspecting senior’s money. Seniors are especially vulnerable as they become less cognitively able and thus more dependent on other adults. Unfortunately, as a Manhattan Beach elder...
by Christine Brown | Oct 24, 2017 | Special Needs Planning |
When it comes to creating a special needs plan for a loved one with disabilities, it’s the hope that all family members are in agreement and ideally on the same page. But, as a Long Beach special needs lawyer, I have seen that even if everyone is working together,...
by Christine Brown | Oct 12, 2017 | Estate Plan, Wills |
A common concern for those who have remarried is that they still want to leave the bulk of their estate to their adult children without abandoning their current spouse. The solution? Create a life estate. A life estate is a tenancy that allows a person to use a...
by Christine Brown | Oct 6, 2017 | Probate |
An estate administrator has a duty to manage the estate and do so in the best interest of the beneficiaries. However, not every administrator acts in good faith, and even when they do, disputes and discrepancies can make a beneficiary want to know exactly where the...
by Christine Brown | Sep 28, 2017 | Estates, Intestacy law |
Dying intestate, or without a will, is very common. If you die without a will, your property will go through probate and is then distributed according to California intestacy law. Intestacy laws govern intestate property. They go into effect unless there is a valid...
by Christine Brown | Sep 22, 2017 | Probate |
When the primary breadwinner dies, his or her surviving spouse, domestic partner and minor children can find themselves without the necessary resources to maintain their current lifestyle. If you find yourself in this position, you do have options. Under California...
