Estate Planning Attorney in Palm Springs

Desert Law Group Helps with Estate Planning

You’ve worked hard throughout your lifetime, and estate planning is a necessary step to ensure your loved ones are looked after. Desert Law Group offers estate planning services in Palm Springs, CA. Estate planning is not only for the wealthy and does not only consist of tax planning. An estate plan is an advanced design that determines how you want your assets distributed upon your death. Furthermore, estate planning also considers the care of minor children, a variety of legal issues, tax minimizing strategies, health and medical planning, and more.

Estate planning is appropriate for people of all ages. Those who are married or single and who have or do not have children can all benefit from estate planning. Desert Law Group proudly offers comprehensive estate planning services to ensure your last wishes are fulfilled and your heirs are looked after. Our estate plans range from simple, uncomplicated wills and trusts to more specialized plans that may include irrevocable trusts and more.

Our California Estate Planning Lawyers

When it comes to estate planning, you need an attorney who is experienced in the local laws. Desert Law Group is based in California and knows the state-specific estate planning laws. In the eyes of the State of California, everyone has an estate. An estate is defined as everything you own or all of your assets and includes your home, vehicles, financial accounts, investments, annuities, personal possessions, and insurance policies. When someone dies without an estate plan in place, the State of California’s laws of intestacy is applied to determine heirs and assets distribution. But, not having an estate plan will leave things to chance.

Sometimes the state handles things precisely as you’d want them handled. Other times, however, the exact opposite occurs. The estate situation becomes more complicated when divorces, remarriages, minors, step-children, businesses, or unique assets are involved. Having an estate plan is the only way to ensure your assets are distributed, and your family and heirs are treated in the manner you wish.

The Benefits of Estate Planning

You’ve likely been putting the interests of your loved ones first throughout your lifetime and having an estate plan in place will allow you to continue to do so, even when you’re gone. Check out the following benefits of estate planning:

Providing for Your Family – Make sure your family is provided for once you’re gone. Without an estate plan, your family will get less of your assets, and it will take longer to get them.
Protecting Your Children – If you pass away with minor children, you need a plan in place for who will raise them, so they don’t end up with Child Protective Services.
Minimizing Your Expenses – Without an estate plan, the courts handle everything during an expensive and lengthy probate process. That money could have gone to your family, children and other loved ones if you had an estate plan.
Speeding Up the Process – With an estate plan, your loved ones get the money they need to live right away, as opposed to waiting three to nine months for the courts to take care of it.
Sparing Your Family from Difficult Decisions – An estate plan will prevent your loved ones from making difficult decisions such as how your remains are handled or when to take you off life support.
Reducing Taxes – Tax planning is included in estate planning and will ensure your loved ones get more of your money instead of Uncle Sam.
Making Retirement Easier – Estate planning can benefit you while you’re still alive by reducing healthcare costs, ensuring you’re eligible for Medi-Cal, if appropriate.
Planning for Incapacity – An estate plan can designate a power of attorney in case you become incapacitated and are unable to manage your financial affairs.
Ensuring Your Business Runs Smoothly – If you own a small business, an estate plan will determine what happens to it after your passing. Otherwise, it will go through probate and likely fall apart quickly.

FAQ About Estate Planning

You likely have questions about estate planning. We have the answers.

What is estate planning? The process of anticipating and arranging for the management and disposition of your estate in the event you become incapacitated or pass away.

What are the legal documents needed for estate planning? You will need a Last Will and Testament, Power of Attorney, an Advance Medical Directive, a revocable living trust, and more.

What are the main steps in estate planning? Creating an inventory of what you own and owe, developing a contingency plan, providing for your children and dependents, protecting your assets, documenting your wishes, and appointing fiduciaries.

When should you do estate planning? Any age. As early as 18 when you become an adult, you should have a healthcare directive and power of attorney. By your late 20’s and 30’s, you should have a will and trust, and estate planning becomes more and more critical as you get older.

Estate Planning Services at Desert Law Group

Desert Law Group provides comprehensive estate planning services in Palm Springs, CA. We work with individuals, families, and small business owners of all ages and at all income levels to create and manage estate plans that are comprehensive and effective. We also offer reviews of estate plans which help ensure your plan takes current tax laws into account and accommodates any assets you have acquired since the time the plan was created. Contact our estate planning attorney today to learn more about estate plans or discuss your estate planning needs.