Category Archives: Estate Planning in California

Content related to estate planning in California.

Dementia Care: Planning for Peace

retired couple holding hands and looking at each other at home dementia care

Beyond financial strategy, an estate plan provides the necessary legal framework for care decisions. A Durable Power of Attorney for Finances allows a trusted family member to manage financial affairs when a person can no longer do so. An Advance Healthcare Directive appoints a healthcare agent who can make medical decisions on their behalf, ensuring their wishes are honored. Without these documents, a family may be forced to seek a costly and time-consuming court conservatorship.

Seamless Estate: Where There’s a Will

Circular arrows pointing clockwise, seamless loop , icon, continuous, infographic

When your trust is properly funded, assets are titled in the name of the trust. That means your home, for example, would be titled as “John and Jane Smith, Trustees of the Smith Family Trust.” At your death, the successor trustee follows your written instructions without needing court approval.

Estate Planning 2025

An elegant 2025 rendered in artistic brushstrokes, showcasing a sophisticated and creative design.

The Essential Role of an Elder Law Estate Planning Attorney In this blog post, we discuss estate planning 2025. As we age, planning for the future becomes increasingly important. An elder Law estate planning attorney can help you navigate the complexities of estate planning and elder law.

Senior Independence

Active senior citizen stretching outdoors in autumn

It’s important to note that there are costs associated with in-home care. These costs can be covered through personal funds, traditional long-term care insurance, or newer long-term care financial products. However, it’s crucial to assess whether your needs can be safely met at home with the available support system and financial resources.

California Still Has A 30 Month Look Back for Gifting

California still has the 30 Month Look Back Penalty Period for Gifting. There is a federal law known as the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), which has a 60 month look back penalty period. However, California has not to date implemented that law. Medi-Cal eligibility workers are required to use the 30 month look back period. […]

Treatment of The Home With Reverse Mortgages By Medi-Cal

Under the Medi-Cal regulations, it is fairly easy for us to establish the home as an “exempt asset” for qualification for Medi-Cal. The usual way is to confirm “an intent to return home” by the Medi-Cal applicant. The next task is to protect the home from a Medi-Cal lien if you pass away after having […]

Consider Naming a Professional Fiduciary In Your Estate Planning Documents

When we prepare our estate planning documents, such as the Revocable Living Trust and Financial Durable Powers of Attorney, we typically name our spouses and then our children as our fiduciaries if we cannot act for ourselves. It would seem that the most common reason that would cause a fiduciary to act is the loss of mental capacity of […]

Peace of Mind Now For Baby Boomers and Seniors Facing Retirement

A big issue now facing Baby Boomers and seniors is, surviving in retirement. We should have our “Ducks In A Row” now regarding health and financial issues, and there are many things we can do.  Most of our clients do not have long term care insurance to pay for a stay in a nursing home. […]

What Can The State Recover After I Die?

If you die after having been on Medi-Cal, the State will try to recover from your estate what they have paid out for your benefit. If there is nothing left in your estate, there is nothing for the State to take. If your home is still in your estate when you die, it could be subject […]