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Divorce can cause a lot of complications in a number of areas of life. One of those areas is estate planning. Take just one estate planning issue: beneficiary designations. These, of course, refer to selections regarding who is to receive ... Read More

Having a life insurance policy and a named beneficiary is an important step in estate planning, but surprises may still come after a person’s death if the proper precautions are not taken beforehand. It may surprise some California readers to ... Read More

When actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died suddenly on Feb. 2 at age 46, he left behind his life partner Marianne and their three children. His net worth was estimated at $35 million and, in 2004, around the time their first ... Read More

There was a time when deciding who would receive your worldly possessions was a relatively simple task. More often than not, the eldest son would be the heir to the family fortune and the story would end there. Those days have long ... Read More

Many Californians make the mistake of thinking that their estate is too small to need a will. But officially naming beneficiaries, regardless of the size of the estate, is a critical step in ensuring your wishes are carried out after your ... Read More

Many California residents who have thought about their loved ones and want to protect their future may have established a will years ago. However, in some situations, individuals may leave unintentional beneficiaries such as ex-spouses because they have neglected to make the ... Read More

California residents may be interested in a recent article that described how a deceased family member’s unpaid bills may have a dramatic effect on inheritance. On most cases these expenses will simply consume a sometimes great portion of the inheritance ... Read More

Many California readers are familiar with the main documents used in estate planning. They are the will, the living will, the financial power of attorney and the health care power of attorney. Even if a person has what they believe ... Read More

Anyone holding a policy with a payout upon the death of the policy holder must designate beneficiaries to inherit the funds. In addition to naming beneficiaries for life insurance policies, retirement plans, annuities and IRAs, California residents should carefully consider ... Read More

When people pass away in California, a probate court often decides what happens to their belongings. A main component of this process is deciding who are the beneficiaries of the estate. Children are usually considered heirs to an estate, even ... Read More