Trusts and estates are the two main legal structures for transferring assets to your heirs and beneficiaries. Each works in ...

Estate planning is a critical aspect of managing one’s personal and financial affairs, yet it is often overlooked until circumstances make it urgent. The process involves more than simply drafting a ...

Estate planning professionals and families face significant challenges when dividing tangible personal property—artwork, jewelry, family heirlooms, and collectibles—among multiple heirs. Traditional ...

In Gaddy v. Fenenbock (In re Est. of Fenenbock), a probate court entered an order directing the independent executor of an estate to make a partial distribution of assets from the residuary clause in ...

In a groundbreaking decision that could reshape the landscape of California estate law, the Court of Appeal in the Second District Division Four has ruled in favor of trustee David Henry Simon, ...

Christy Bieber has a JD from UCLA School of Law and began her career as a college instructor and textbook author. She has been writing full time for over a decade with a focus on making financial and ...

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is emotionally taxing, and the burden is often exacerbated by the intricate legal processes involved in settling the estate. This task can be particularly ...

John Madden would be proud. When I am explaining the difference between probate and nonprobate assets to clients and seminar attendees, I usually produce a diagram that is worthy of the most elaborate ...

An outdated or incomplete estate plan could cause confusion for those handling your affairs at a difficult time. This guide highlights what to update and when.

A decedent's gross estate includes most assets and property they owned or had an interest in at death, used to calculate estate taxes. Some assets, however, may be excluded, affecting the estate's ...