Welcome to the Desert Law Group blog! Here you will find estate planning information and insights, helpful tips to preserve your wealth and protect your assets, and copies of our latest newsletters, Lawyer for Life, Elder Law Update, and Smart Aging Update.
Browse recent posts to gain general information, use the menu at the left to search by topic, or join the Desert Law Group community by subscribing to have new posts emailed directly to your inbox. Topics include: estate planning, probate and trusts, healthcare planning, special needs planning, charitable giving, and more. Check back regularly for updates!
If you would like to receive more information about anything you’ve read on our blog or have questions that you can’t find the answer to, contact our office at 760-776-9977 to speak with an estate planning attorney.
Many people believe that estate planning is only for elders. The truth is that younger folks, including millennials, can benefit from having an estate plan of their own. Millennials are generally defined as individuals born between 1981 and 1996—that is, people between the ages of 25 and 40. This is the age at which many […]
Read moreEven if you are not tech savvy, you likely have a digital “estate” comprised of assets with financial and sentimental value. You probably also have plenty of personal information floating around out there in the digital universe. To protect these assets, and to ensure you don’t leave behind a massive digital mess for your loved […]
Read moreA spendthrift trust is typically used to prevent a beneficiary from receiving his or her inheritance all at once. There are several reasons why a grantor (the person who creates the trust) might want to consider such an approach. The most obvious reason is that the grantor believes the beneficiary will quickly squander the inheritance. […]
Read moreFunding a revocable living trust involves retitling your assets into the name of the trust. Basically, a funded trust “holds” assets of your choice to accomplish your planning goals. The consequences of an unfunded or improperly funded trust include: Your trustee cannot manage assets held outside trust. If you were to become incapacitated, for example, […]
Read moreWhen your children turn 18 they are legal adults. They might not act like adults all of the time, and you may still be supporting them financially, but in the eyes of the law they are indeed adults. This means that you can no longer make certain decisions for them, including health care decisions. Furthermore, […]
Read moreAn “I Love You Will” is a last will and testament in which the testator—the person who makes the will—leaves everything to his or her spouse. If you have thought about making a will in the past, you likely considered this approach. Perhaps you have already created such a will. While an I Love You […]
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While sitting around the dinner table during the upcoming holidays, you might want to turn the conversation around to your estate plan. Telling your family members about your final wishes might just be the best gift you can give them. It could head off disagreements and hard feelings. Why talk about something so morbid at […]
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A dilemma faced by many as we get older: is it time to accomplish things you haven’t accomplished yet, or time to reflect and just enjoy your remaining years. Although there are different points of view, an essay in the Wall Street Journal suggests that the latter choice might be better for some folks. The […]
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The face of the American family is changing. That’s especially true where marriage is concerned. In California, of course, we welcomed same-sex marriage last year with the landmark verdict in Hollingsworth v. Perry. But that’s not the only change taking place in the American landscape. http://gty.im/sb10066175a-006 According to the Pew Research Center, one in five […]
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Any number of things could be the cue to family and friends of older people to begin to realize the individuals are in need of help caring for themselves. A recent article on the website CareConversations.org, though, provides three very specific early signs that it’s time to take action. These are: Writing checks or withdrawing […]
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