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What To Know About Southern California Estate Planning

The phone rings in the middle of the night. It is the call that we all dread, the call that tells us that a family member is no longer with us. After a sleepless night, we begin to determine what our next steps will be, who we will have to contact, and what is required of us legally. While few of us want to think about losing someone close to us, spending a little time now preparing can make the process go more smoothly for you or your estate executors during such a tragic moment. 

So what happens when an individual dies? It turns out there is not a quick and simple answer. If an individual has not written a will their money and property will be distributed according to California law. The state will determine what assets go to whom based on each person’s relationship with the deceased. If an individual has written a will, it becomes a legal framework for how assets will be distributed. But in either case, a probate attorney should be hired to help navigate the legal system. Probate court can be a complex and extremely time-consuming undertaking, involving legal compliance and paperwork that the average individual has no background knowledge of. If someone is in the process of mourning this is not a good time to try to learn and understand complex legal issues.

Tragic deaths are not unknown to us and in recent years we have seen how death can touch anyone’s family at any time. There is no minimum age to death. We have lost individuals to diseases including COVID-19, and to events such as that which occurred at Saugus High School which have forced us to find new ways to mourn as a community. When we are mourning is not the time to start to think about these issues. Death can come at any time so it is important for us all to prepare so that those who are left behind are taken care of. 

If you doubt the legal complexities of end of life issues just look at the plot of many Hollywood films. Everyone has gathered around, an attorney opens a will, the will is read and everyone goes “What?” The film “Knives Out” is a great example of this, where an accidental death pushes the rest of the plot along and shows just how messy these situations can become as secrets are revealed.

These legal battles are not just the product of Hollywood filmmakers. There have been many film worthy battles over celebrities and their assets. It often comes as a surprise how many celebrities die without a will and the legal battles which follow which can go on for decades. Do you really want your family torn apart over the fight to determine your wishes for your assets? These moments show how important it is to seek an attorney with probate expertise to help you with inventorying and maintaining assets, resolving debts, filing taxes, and distributing assets. You have already dealt with the loss of a loved one, why make yourself work harder than you would otherwise have to?

Death of our loved ones or ourselves is not something that we want to think about. It may feel safer to put it out of sight and out of mind but in the end, this does not help us or our loved ones. We may feel we need to handle our loved ones’ estate ourselves because we think we know what they would have wanted. In the end, this is a disservice to ourselves and our loved ones. In these moments it is important to reach out and get help from attorneys who can help us navigate. 


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What To Know About Southern California Estate Planning

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