At the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman, our East Sonora estate planning team helps families and individuals create durable plans that reflect personal values and protect assets. We focus on practical documents such as revocable living trusts, last wills and testaments, powers of attorney, and health care directives so clients maintain control over financial and medical decisions. Whether you are updating legacy plans or creating your first estate plan, our approach emphasizes clear communication, thoughtful document design, and steady support through decision points to give you confidence and peace of mind about the future.
Estate planning is more than preparing forms; it is an opportunity to organize your affairs, protect loved ones, and reduce future stress. We walk clients through options like general assignments of assets to trust, certification of trust, irrevocable life insurance trusts, retirement plan trusts, and special needs or pet trusts. Our goal is to craft documents that work together, including pour-over wills and HIPAA authorizations, so transitions are smoother and guardianship nominations are clear. We help clients in East Sonora plan now so families face fewer hurdles later.
A well-designed estate plan provides legal direction and practical benefits that protect family members and preserve assets. It reduces uncertainty about medical care and financial decisions, clarifies property distribution, and can minimize delays and expenses associated with probate. For families with children, elderly parents, or beneficiaries with care needs, documents such as guardianship nominations and special needs trusts create a solid roadmap. In East Sonora, where close-knit communities value continuity, an intentional approach to estate planning strengthens family stability and ensures your wishes are honored when you are no longer able to speak for yourself.
Based in San Jose and serving East Sonora and surrounding areas, the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman provide straightforward estate planning services tailored to California law. Our firm focuses on drafting and maintaining documents that address both asset management and personal decisions, including revocable living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives. We prioritize clear explanations, responsive communication, and practical solutions that reflect each client’s family dynamics and financial circumstances. Call 408-528-2827 to speak with a representative about how we can help secure your family’s future.
Estate planning organizes how your assets and personal decisions are handled during incapacity and after death. Services commonly include drafting revocable living trusts to manage assets without lengthy court involvement, preparing a last will and testament for final property distribution, and establishing powers of attorney for financial and health matters. Additional documents such as certification of trust and general assignments of assets to trust ensure smooth administration. By addressing these items proactively, individuals can preserve privacy, reduce administrative burdens for heirs, and provide clear directions for those charged with carrying out personal and financial affairs.
Beyond basic documents, estate planning also addresses specialized needs such as tax considerations, asset protection through irrevocable life insurance trusts, retirement plan trusts, and provisions for beneficiaries with disabilities through special needs trusts. Pet trusts and pour-over wills can protect animal companions and funnel remaining assets into an established trust arrangement. HIPAA authorizations and advance health care directives ensure medical providers receive necessary permissions and that your health care preferences are documented. This holistic approach promotes continuity and reduces disputes over intentions or distributions.
Key terms in estate planning include revocable living trust, which allows the trust creator to maintain control of assets while arranging for management and distribution outside probate, and last will and testament, which names beneficiaries and guardians and can direct distribution of any assets not placed in trust. Powers of attorney grant authority to appointed agents to manage finances or health decisions if you cannot. Advance health care directives state medical preferences and appoint decision-makers. Understanding these basics helps clients choose the right combination of documents to meet family, tax, and asset protection objectives under California law.
The estate planning process typically begins with a thorough inventory of assets, family circumstances, and goals. From there we draft documents that work together: revocable living trusts hold title to assets, pour-over wills capture remaining property to be placed in trust, and financial powers of attorney enable trusted people to manage accounts when needed. Certification of trust and general assignments of assets help trustees access accounts. Once documents are executed, periodic reviews are important to reflect life changes such as marriage, divorce, new children, or changes in wealth. This ongoing care keeps your plan effective over time.
This section explains frequently used estate planning terms to help clients navigate documents and decisions. It covers the purpose and effect of instruments like irrevocable life insurance trusts, retirement plan trusts, special needs trusts, and pet trusts, and clarifies procedural items such as Heggstad and trust modification petitions. Familiarity with these terms empowers clients to make informed choices about their estates and to communicate clear intentions to trustees and family members, reducing the likelihood of disputes and promoting smoother administration when trust or estate matters are handled.
A revocable living trust is a legal arrangement that holds title to assets for management and distribution according to the trust’s terms. The person who creates the trust typically serves as trustee while alive and can amend or revoke the trust. On incapacity or death, a successor trustee named in the trust documents steps in to manage or distribute assets without the delays and public process of probate. For many families in East Sonora, a revocable living trust provides continuity of financial management and privacy while preserving control during the creator’s life.
A last will and testament is a document that expresses how a person wants remaining property distributed and names guardians for minor children. Wills can direct the disposition of assets not titled in a trust and can include bequests and final wishes. While wills go through probate, they remain an important component of many estate plans because they provide a clear legal statement of intent and backstop for assets omitted from trust arrangements. Wills also facilitate court recognition of a person’s choices regarding guardianship nominations.
A financial power of attorney gives a designated agent authority to manage finances and property if the principal is unable to do so. An advance health care directive states medical preferences and appoints a health care agent to make medical decisions on the principal’s behalf. HIPAA authorizations commonly accompany these documents to allow caregivers and family members to obtain medical information. Together, these instruments ensure that trusted individuals can act quickly and lawfully on financial and medical matters during incapacity.
Specialty trusts, such as irrevocable life insurance trusts and special needs trusts, address particular planning goals like tax-efficient life insurance treatment or long-term care for a beneficiary with disabilities without jeopardizing benefits. Retirement plan trusts manage qualified plan distributions consistent with beneficiary objectives. Administrative terms like Certification of Trust, Heggstad petitions, and trust modification petitions relate to proving a trust’s existence, bringing assets into trust, or changing trust terms within legal limits. These tools help align the trust’s operation with the settlor’s intentions and the needs of beneficiaries.
Choosing between a limited document approach and a comprehensive estate plan depends on your goals, complexity of assets, and family circumstances. A limited approach might include only a will and basic powers of attorney for someone with few assets and minimal beneficiaries, while a comprehensive plan integrates trusts, detailed beneficiary planning, and provisions for special circumstances. A comprehensive plan reduces the need for court involvement and often addresses tax, long-term care, and successor management. We help clients evaluate which path best aligns with their priorities, risk tolerance, and desire for privacy and continuity.
A limited estate planning package may be appropriate when an individual has straightforward finances, modest assets, and a small number of beneficiaries. In these circumstances, a last will and testament paired with financial and medical powers of attorney can provide necessary directions for end-of-life and property distribution decisions. This approach can be an efficient way to document intentions and appoint decision-makers without the administrative steps involved in trust administration. It still helps to review the plan periodically to account for life changes that could alter its suitability.
Some people choose a limited plan as an interim measure while they organize assets or during transitional life stages such as early marriage or asset accumulation. A basic will and powers of attorney can protect immediate interests and ensure decisions can be made on one’s behalf. This temporary arrangement allows time to assess long-term goals and later expand the plan into a revocable living trust and related documents when circumstances warrant. Periodic reassessment keeps short-term plans current and aligned with evolving objectives.
Individuals with diverse holdings, business interests, or real estate in multiple names benefit from a comprehensive plan that coordinates asset titles, beneficiary designations, and trust arrangements. A revocable living trust can help maintain privacy and streamline asset transfer outside probate. For those with significant assets, the plan can also address tax considerations and create structures such as irrevocable life insurance trusts to support longer term goals. Such planning protects continuity and reduces administrative burdens on heirs after an owner’s passing.
Families with complex dynamics, blended households, or beneficiaries who require ongoing care often need a comprehensive plan to provide specific instructions and protections. Special needs trusts, guardianship nominations, and detailed trustee powers can ensure that beneficiaries receive appropriate support while preserving eligibility for public benefits. Comprehensive plans also allow for staged distributions and detailed successor trustee responsibilities to reduce conflict. Thoughtful drafting anticipates challenges and creates a clear roadmap for decision-makers and family members.
A comprehensive estate plan helps ensure your intentions are honored, minimizes delays in asset transfer, and reduces the likelihood of family disagreements. By combining trusts with wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives, the plan provides continuity of decision-making and can shield beneficiaries from administrative burdens. This approach also clarifies roles for trustees and agents, directs how assets are preserved and distributed, and creates contingency plans for unexpected events. For many clients, the overall benefit is stability and greater certainty during challenging personal transitions.
Comprehensive planning offers the opportunity to manage tax impacts, protect vulnerable beneficiaries, and ensure business continuity when owners of family businesses pass or become incapacitated. Instruments such as irrevocable life insurance trusts and retirement plan trusts address specific planning objectives and can be coordinated with beneficiary designations for smoother administration. By addressing both immediate decision-making and long-term distribution, a comprehensive plan reduces legal friction and helps families focus on honoring legacies rather than resolving disputes or procedural delays.
A comprehensive plan provides tailored mechanisms for managing assets during incapacity and after death, allowing creators to outline flexible distribution rules and contingencies. Trustees and agents are given clear instruction to handle changing circumstances, preserving both financial stability and intended legacies. This level of control can include staggered distributions, protective provisions for vulnerable beneficiaries, and specific instructions for personal property. Such clarity reduces ambiguity and the potential for disagreements among heirs, making the administration process more predictable and less stressful for family members.
When assets are properly titled to trust and beneficiary designations are current, many matters can be resolved without formal probate, saving time and expense for families. Certification of trust and general assignments facilitate trustee access to accounts, and well-drafted documents limit the need for court adjudication. This simplifies the transfer process and preserves privacy, allowing heirs to focus on personal matters rather than navigating complex legal procedures. Efficient planning reduces emotional strain during what often are already challenging times.
Begin your planning by compiling a thorough list of assets, account details, property deeds, insurance policies, and retirement accounts, along with current beneficiary designations. Knowing what you own and how assets are titled makes it easier to determine whether those items should be moved into a trust or whether beneficiary designations should be updated. This foundation helps avoid overlooked assets, simplifies drafting, and reduces the potential for disputes after your passing. Regular updates keep the plan aligned with your current circumstances and intentions.
Life events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, significant purchases, or changes in finances should trigger a review of estate planning documents. Periodic reviews allow updates to beneficiary designations, trustee appointments, and distribution provisions to reflect current intentions. Changes in law or tax rules may also affect planning choices, so scheduled assessments help maintain alignment with personal goals. Keeping documents current prevents unintended outcomes and supports continuity for those you designate to manage your affairs.
Estate planning is a proactive step to protect loved ones, ensure financial and medical preferences are honored, and provide orderly transfer of assets. For residents of East Sonora, planning can address unique local circumstances such as property interests, family-run businesses, and multigenerational households. Effective planning reduces the administrative and emotional burdens placed on family members by clarifying decision-making authority and distribution instructions. By preparing these documents now, you create a durable framework that supports family stability and reduces the potential for disputes at difficult times.
Considering estate planning early also allows individuals to tailor strategies to personal goals such as providing for children, supporting a partner, protecting beneficiaries with special needs, or preserving assets for future generations. Instruments like irrevocable life insurance trusts, retirement plan trusts, and special needs trusts can be coordinated to meet specific objectives while planning for tax and benefit considerations. Regular reviews keep these strategies effective as circumstances change so your plan remains practical, enforceable, and reflective of current wishes.
People commonly seek estate planning when they experience major life transitions such as marriage, the birth of a child, the acquisition of significant property, divorce, the onset of a disability, or the need to plan for a family member with special needs. Business owners and those with complex assets often require more comprehensive solutions. Additionally, older adults who want to preserve assets and avoid probate, or younger adults looking to ensure guardianship arrangements, find planning provides clarity. In all cases, timely planning reduces uncertainty and supports orderly transitions.
New parents often prioritize naming guardians and establishing trusts to provide for minor children in the event of incapacity or death. Documents such as pour-over wills and guardianship nominations ensure that children are cared for by chosen individuals and that funds are managed responsibly. Financial powers of attorney and health care directives also allow appointed people to make timely decisions if parents are unable to act. Preparing these arrangements early gives parents confidence that their children’s care and financial needs will be addressed according to their wishes.
Families with beneficiaries who receive public benefits may need specialized trust arrangements to preserve eligibility for supportive programs while providing additional resources. A special needs trust can hold assets for the benefit of a person with disabilities without disqualifying them from important government benefits. Coordinated planning ensures distributions are managed carefully and that trustees have guidance on how funds should be used to supplement rather than replace public supports. This planning approach focuses on long-term well-being and financial stability for vulnerable beneficiaries.
Owners of real estate or family businesses often require careful planning to ensure continuity and to provide clear direction for successors. Trust structures and retirement plan trusts can facilitate seamless transitions and reduce estate administration conflicts that might disrupt operations or diminish property value. Clear documentation about management authority and succession in trust instruments helps preserve the enterprise or property value across generations. Thoughtful planning supports orderly transfers while allowing owners to set conditions and timelines for distributions to heirs.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman offer estate planning services to East Sonora residents, helping clients prepare documents such as revocable living trusts, last wills, powers of attorney, advance health care directives, and Heggstad petitions. We assist with trust administration tasks like certification of trust and general assignments of assets to trust, and draft tailored instruments including irrevocable life insurance trusts and special needs trusts. Our aim is to make the legal process accessible and straightforward so families can protect assets and plan for future care and legacy matters.
Choosing the right firm for estate planning means selecting a practice that communicates clearly, responds promptly, and addresses California-specific issues with practical solutions. At the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman, we focus on producing durable documents that reflect clients’ priorities while minimizing administrative burdens and avoiding unnecessary court involvement. We guide clients through decision points such as trustee selection, beneficiary designations, and the coordination of retirement accounts with trust structures to ensure a coherent plan that serves family needs.
Our approach emphasizes individualized planning and careful coordination of documents like pour-over wills, HIPAA authorizations, and guardianship nominations to make sure no significant matter is overlooked. We explain options in plain terms and help clients understand the practical effects of each instrument. By preparing a plan that anticipates likely scenarios and supports continuity, we reduce the likelihood of disputes and create smoother transitions for those who will manage affairs during incapacity or after death.
Accessibility and ongoing support are central to our service model. We encourage regular reviews and updates to ensure plans remain aligned with life changes, including new assets, family events, or changes in law. Clients can call 408-528-2827 to discuss their circumstances and begin organizing their estate planning documents. Our focus is on helping individuals and families in East Sonora take practical steps to protect their interests and provide for those they care about.
Our process begins with a detailed consultation to understand your family, assets, and objectives. We compile an inventory of property, review beneficiary designations, and discuss options such as trusts and wills that align with your goals. After a plan is agreed upon, we prepare draft documents for review, incorporate client feedback, and schedule formal signing and notarization. We also provide guidance on funding trusts and delivering certificates of trust where appropriate. Ongoing reviews help keep plans current and effective as circumstances change.
The initial step involves collecting detailed information about your assets, family relationships, and personal goals so we can recommend appropriate documents and structures. This includes reviewing real estate, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and any business interests, along with beneficiary designations. Understanding your priorities—such as protecting a child with special needs, preserving family property, or minimizing probate—allows us to propose a plan that reflects your intentions and addresses foreseeable issues in trust administration and estate transfer.
We assist clients in compiling a comprehensive asset inventory and reviewing current beneficiary designations to identify gaps and possible conflicts. This step is important to determine which assets should be retitled into a trust and which should remain with designated beneficiaries. Addressing titling and beneficiary questions early prevents later complications and ensures the estate plan operates as intended. Clear documentation of account details and property ownership supports efficient administration later on.
We spend time discussing family dynamics, future care needs for dependents, and desired distribution timing to tailor provisions such as staged disbursements or trust provisions for beneficiaries. This conversation helps determine whether instruments like special needs trusts or irrevocable life insurance trusts are appropriate. By understanding the client’s values and intentions, we create a plan that balances flexibility with safeguards, giving appointed trustees clear authority and guidance to administer assets according to those wishes.
In the drafting phase we prepare tailored documents based on the initial planning decisions, including revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and advance health care directives. Drafts are shared with clients for review and revision until the language accurately reflects intentions. We explain the practical effects of provisions and how the documents will work together during administration. This collaborative review ensures the plan is understandable and aligned with legal requirements under California law.
Drafting trust and will documents requires careful coordination to ensure assets flow as intended and that successor trustee powers are clearly defined. We prepare pour-over wills to catch assets not transferred to trust and create trust provisions to govern distributions and trustee authority. We also prepare certification of trust forms that trustees can present to financial institutions. Clear drafting minimizes ambiguity and supports efficient administration when the time comes to carry out the plan.
We draft financial powers of attorney and advance health care directives to authorize trusted individuals to act in your stead if you cannot. These documents include HIPAA authorizations when needed, granting access to medical information for appointed agents. We ensure these instruments are tailored to your preferences about decision-making scope and timing, and we recommend practical steps for notifying institutions and updating account information so designated agents can act without unnecessary delay.
The final steps include formally signing and notarizing documents, retitling assets to fund trusts where appropriate, and delivering copies to trustees or agents. Proper funding of a revocable living trust is an important administrative step to ensure assets are governed by the trust terms. After execution, we recommend periodic reviews, especially after major life events, to update documents and beneficiary designations so the plan remains effective. Ongoing stewardship preserves the integrity and intent of the estate plan for future transitions.
Execution involves signing documents in accordance with legal formalities, obtaining notarization where required, and preparing certification of trust to present to institutions. Funding the trust means retitling accounts and property into the trust’s name or completing general assignments that transfer assets to trust ownership. Taking these steps after signing ensures the trust operates as intended and reduces the assets that might otherwise pass through probate. Proper documentation of transfers helps trustees administer the estate efficiently.
Estate plans should be reviewed regularly to account for changes like births, deaths, marriage, divorce, or significant changes in assets. We recommend scheduled reviews and make updates when necessary to beneficiary designations, trustee appointments, and trust provisions. Trust modification petitions or Heggstad petitions may be needed in specific circumstances to clarify or correct asset transfers. Proactive maintenance keeps the plan aligned with current intentions and ensures the documents remain effective and enforceable under California law.
A revocable living trust is an arrangement that holds legal title to assets and provides for management and distribution under the trust’s terms while avoiding the public probate process for assets properly funded into the trust. The person who creates the trust typically serves as trustee during their lifetime and names a successor trustee to manage assets upon incapacity or death. A will, by contrast, takes effect only after death and must generally be probated to distribute assets that are solely in the decedent’s name. Wills are useful for naming guardians for minor children and for directing distribution of any assets not placed in trust. Both instruments play complementary roles in a thoughtful estate plan. A pour-over will is often used with a revocable trust to capture any assets not transferred during the trustmaker’s life, ensuring they are later moved into the trust for administration. Selecting the right combination depends on assets, privacy preferences, and family circumstances. Regular review ensures both the trust and will reflect updated intentions and current account information so that distribution and guardianship goals are achieved.
A financial power of attorney authorizes a designated agent to manage financial affairs if you become unable to do so, allowing timely access to accounts, payment of bills, and handling of transactions. An advance health care directive states medical preferences and designates a health care agent to make medical decisions on your behalf when you cannot. Including HIPAA authorizations can ease communication with medical providers by granting access to health information for the appointed agent. Together, these documents ensure decision-makers can act quickly and lawfully when circumstances require. Even if a trust and will are in place, powers of attorney and health directives remain essential because they address incapacity scenarios and nonprobate matters such as immediate medical and financial needs. Choosing trusted agents and providing clear instructions about your values and preferences reduces confusion and supports timely, consistent decision-making. Periodic review keeps these documents current so your appointed agents can fulfill their roles effectively when needed.
Funding a trust means retitling assets and accounts in the trust’s name or completing assignments that place property under the trust’s control. This can include changing deed ownership for real property, updating account titles for bank and brokerage accounts, and designating the trust as beneficiary where appropriate. Funding ensures the trust governs those assets during incapacity and at death, reducing the assets that must pass through probate. Without proper funding, the intended benefits of a trust may not be realized and some assets could still be subject to probate administration. The process of funding is administrative but important; it prevents confusion and streamlines trustee access during administration. We help clients prepare general assignments of assets to trust and provide certification of trust for financial institutions so trustees can verify authority. Maintaining records of retitling and beneficiary updates supports efficient administration and helps avoid disputes about ownership or distribution when the time comes.
Many revocable living trusts are designed to be amended or revoked during the creator’s lifetime, allowing adjustments as circumstances change. Trust modification can address life events such as marriage, divorce, births, changes in asset holdings, or shifts in family dynamics. Some changes can be made directly by the trustmaker while others may involve court petitions in situations where a trustee or beneficiary position requires legal clarification. Trust modification petitions or Heggstad petitions are tools used when administrative or asset transfer issues arise that require judicial intervention. It is important to work with counsel when modifying a trust to ensure amendments are made properly and remain consistent with the trust’s overall purpose. For irrevocable trusts, modifications are more limited and typically require legal steps or beneficiary consent depending on how the trust was structured. Periodic review helps determine whether amendments are needed and ensures the documents continue to serve intended goals effectively.
A special needs trust is a legal arrangement designed to provide for a beneficiary with disabilities while preserving eligibility for means-tested public benefits. The trust holds assets for the beneficiary’s supplemental needs—such as medical supplies, therapies, or personal supports—without being counted as the beneficiary’s personal resources for benefit eligibility. Trustees manage distributions to enhance quality of life without displacing essential government benefits, and documents typically include guidance on allowable uses and distribution priorities tailored to the beneficiary’s situation. Drafting a special needs trust requires attention to language and administration procedures to avoid jeopardizing benefits. It should specify how funds are to be used and who may receive distributions, and it should empower the trustee to coordinate with public benefit programs. Regular oversight and clear instructions for trustees help ensure the trust supports long-term care and financial stability for the beneficiary while maintaining access to needed public services.
Pet trusts provide for the ongoing care of companion animals by allocating funds and appointing a caregiver or trustee to manage resources for the pet’s welfare. These trusts can set out routine care instructions, designate a caregiver, and name a successor caregiver if necessary. The trust may include oversight provisions requiring periodic accounting or directions for final arrangements. For owners who wish their pets to receive continuous care in accordance with their instructions, a pet trust creates a clear legal mechanism to fund and supervise that care after the owner’s passing. When setting up a pet trust, consider practical matters such as the expected costs for the pet’s care, identifying a reliable caregiver, and providing flexible instructions that allow the caregiver to act in the animal’s best interest. Periodic reviews ensure funding levels and caregiver arrangements remain appropriate as circumstances change. These measures help provide continuity of care and reduce the likelihood of uncertain or unsuitable outcomes for beloved animals.
If you die without a valid will in California, state intestacy laws determine how your assets are distributed. These default rules prioritize spouses, children, and other close relatives in a predetermined order, which may not reflect your individual intentions. Property not owned jointly or without a designated beneficiary could pass under these rules, possibly resulting in unintended outcomes or creating disputes among surviving family members. Guardianship for minor children may also be determined through court proceedings without the clarity of prior nominations in a will. Dying intestate can lead to delays, increased costs, and public disclosures through probate proceedings. Creating a will, and ideally integrating it with a trust when appropriate, enables you to name beneficiaries, appoint guardians, and specify distribution terms that better align with your wishes. Regularly updating documents ensures they remain consistent with life events and family structure so your preferences are followed.
An estate plan should be reviewed periodically and after any major life event such as marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of children, significant changes in assets, relocation, or the death of a beneficiary or appointed fiduciary. Changes in law or personal financial circumstances can affect the effectiveness of existing documents, making periodic assessments important. Regular reviews allow updates to beneficiary designations, trustee choices, and trust provisions to reflect current objectives and avoid unintended consequences caused by outdated documents. We recommend scheduling a review at least every few years or sooner if significant changes occur. During a review we confirm asset titling, update documents as needed, and advise on any additional instruments or adjustments to maintain alignment with your goals. Ongoing attention helps preserve the plan’s intended function and supports smoother administration when documents are needed.
A comprehensive estate plan that includes a revocable living trust and properly funded assets can significantly reduce the scope of probate, but avoiding probate entirely depends on how assets are titled and whether beneficiary designations are current. Assets held solely in the decedent’s name without designated beneficiaries or transferred into a trust often must go through probate. Proper titling of property into a trust, updated beneficiary designations for accounts and insurance, and joint ownership arrangements where appropriate can limit probate exposure and simplify transfer to beneficiaries. Some types of property, such as certain retirement accounts or assets with payable-on-death designations, bypass probate by design, but they must be coordinated within the overall plan to ensure distributions align with estate intentions. We assist clients in reviewing account titles and beneficiary forms to help reduce unnecessary probate administration and protect privacy by directing assets through trust structures when appropriate.
Choosing the right trustee or agent involves assessing trustworthiness, availability, financial judgment, and willingness to take on administrative responsibilities. Often people select a close family member or friend for a personal understanding of family dynamics and intentions. In some cases, a trusted professional, corporate trustee, or a combination of individuals may be preferable to provide continuity, administrative skill, and impartiality. It is important to name successor trustees and agents in case the primary appointee is unable or unwilling to serve. When naming an agent for financial matters or health care, consider the person’s ability to make thoughtful decisions under pressure and their familiarity with your values and preferences. Clear written instructions and open communication with the chosen individuals reduce uncertainty and help ensure they carry out your intentions effectively. Periodic confirmation that the appointed person is still willing to serve helps prevent future gaps in representation.
Criminal Defense
Homicide Defense
Manslaughter
Assault and Battery
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Battery Causing Great Bodily Injury
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence Protection Orders
Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Arson Defense
Weapons Charges
Illegal Firearm Possessions
Civil Harassment
Civil Harassment Restraining Orders
School Violence Restraining Orders
Violent Crimes Defense
Estate Planning Practice Areas