WILLS & TRUSTS
Years of litigation experience has impressed upon David the importance of avoiding legal problems through pre-planning. One of the most effective ways to help your family avoid legal & financial problems, is to set through proper Estate Planning to work together to protect your assets for your family.
David offers a five document solution package which includes:
WILL - Everyone should have a Will. A Will is a document you create to tell your family what to do with your worldly possessions when you die. It also allows you to select a guardian for your minor or disabled children and pets.
TRUST - A Trust is a legal document that protects your family, money, home and assets by allowing you to leave a set of instructions for the distribution of your estate if you pass away. If you live in California and your estate is worth more than $150,000 or more (including property), you MUST have a trust in order to avoid probate proceedings, which can be both time consuming and expensive.
DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY – A legally binding document that assigns a person of your choosing to handle personal legal issues on your behalf if you become incapacitated due to physical or mental reasons. This may include anything from buying and selling a piece of property to handling daily finances. Giving someone a Durable Power of Attorney is sometimes necessary, but not a matter to be taken lightly. You should always consult an attorney before signing a Durable Power of Attorney.
ADVANCED MEDICAL DIRECTIVE - This is a legal document that tells your family and doctors what you want to happen if you are unable to make medical choices on your own (i.e. in a coma). This document also allows you to designate an “Agent” (usually a close family member) to make medical and end-of-life decisions on your behalf.
HIPPA DIRECTIVE - A HIPPA directive grants individual people, such a spouse or your doctor, access to your personal medical information. If you become incapacitated, time may be of the essence. Having a completed HIPPA form can speed up your treatment and assure that your attending physician and medical representative understand your current medical condition and background.
This effective group of documents will protect you, your family, your children and heirs in the event of foreseen and unforeseen events for decades to come.