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.
The holiday season has a way of sneaking up on us. One minute you’re finishing the leftover Halloween candy, and the next you’re booking flights, mapping out road trips, thawing turkeys and debating over real or fake trees. But as joyful (and chaotic) as December travel can be, it’s also one of the highest-risk times […]
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For many families, the “family home” isn’t just a structure. It’s memory-soaked real estate: pencil marks on the doorframe, backyard wiffle ball games, the spot on the stairs where someone always squeaked because no one ever fixed it. But when aging parents begin to decline, that same home becomes something else entirely: an asset, a […]
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If you still imagine most seniors as reluctant smartphone users who avoid apps and artificial intelligence like the plague, it’s time to update that picture. A new survey from KFF (the Kaiser Family Foundation) found that today’s Medicare beneficiaries are surprisingly comfortable using digital health technology; from apps that manage prescriptions and appointments to online […]
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Most of us hope to stay in the place we know best as we grow older: our home. That wish isn’t sentimental fluff, it’s the reality for a strong majority of older adults. In AARP’s 2024 Home & Community Preferences Survey, 75% of adults 50+ said they want to remain in their current home as […]
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Every October, we’re surrounded by reminders of our own mortality – skeletons on porches, haunted house tours, and ghost stories galore. It’s a good-natured bit of seasonal fun. But for families who’ve lost a loved one, there’s nothing spooky about the confusion and conflict that can arise when no one knows what that person wanted […]
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When Congress passed the SECURE 2.0 Act at the end of 2022, it promised to modernize retirement savings and make life a little easier for both savers and those inheriting retirement accounts. Now that we’ve had all of 2024 and most of 2025 living with the changes, we can see which parts have delivered and […]
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Few conversations are more uncomfortable than asking your parents about money. Yet, avoiding it can leave families unprepared for medical emergencies, long-term care costs, or even disputes after a parent passes away. From a legal standpoint, talking openly now can save your family from confusion later. Money decisions made today can affect not only your […]
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When most people think about who will manage their estate or step in if they can’t make decisions, the answer feels obvious: a spouse, an adult child, or a trusted relative. But what happens when family isn’t the best option? That’s where professional fiduciaries come in. What is a fiduciary? A fiduciary is someone who […]
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What You Need to Know When Your Spouse Isn’t a U.S. Citizen When it comes to estate planning, one of the most important goals is making sure your loved ones are taken care of after you’re gone. But if your spouse isn’t a U.S. citizen, some of the rules are different, and if you’re not […]
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Most people don’t think about protecting their assets until something bad happens, like a lawsuit, nursing home bill, or financial crisis. But by then, it might be too late. Truly, the best time to protect your assets is before you’re at risk. That’s where an asset protection trust can come in. These powerful legal tools […]
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