San Juan Capistrano Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in San Juan Capistrano, CA

In San Juan Capistrano, estate planning refers to the process of deciding what should be done with one's assets after their death.

Estate planning typically requires the advice of a legal and/or financial expert, because the issues involved can be confusing, and are considered by most to be quite important. A flawed estate plan might create conflict between your survivors, resulting in your intentions not being given effect.

In addition to deciding what to do with your assets after your death, your estate plan should also include things that might become relevant during life. Power of attorney is a big one. Power of attorney is an arrangement in which you give another person the ability to make decisions for you, if you become incapacitated. Additionally, effective estate planning can help reduce the effect of taxes and court fees on your final disposition to your chosen beneficiaries.

A skilled estate planner in San Juan Capistrano can make the process of planning your estate go much more smoothly, and maximize the chances of your wishes directly being carried out with legal force.

Common Features of San Juan Capistrano Estates

Will: This is a legal document which transfers ownership of the testator's (the person making the will) property to named beneficiaries after the testator's death. The beneficiaries can be just about anyone the testator chooses, but smaller estates, usually only include family members, and maybe very close friends. If you want, you can place conditions on gifts (say, leaving a certain amount of money to your son, but only if he graduates college before he turns 25 - this is just an example). However, a will can't actually compel anyone to do anything, and some conditional gifts won't be enforced, normally because they involve an illegal act, or require a person to marry or refrain from marrying a particular person.

Living Will: This is a document which lays out instructions for your medical care, should you become so sick or badly hurt that you are unable to express your wishes. It should state under what cases you want to remain on life support. A well-drafted living will can prevent you from being kept alive in a permanent vegetative state (if that is not what you want), while ensuring that you receive medical care as long as you have a chance at recovery.

Power of Attorney: What if you become incapacitated, and can't make your own decisions? It would be nice if somebody knew what you would want in a given situation, and, on top of that, had the legal authority to make that decision for you. Power of attorney lets you do precisely that, granting a person of your choice the ability to make certain decisions for you, in case you, for whatever reason, can't (you can, of course, control the scope of power that you grant).

Funeral Arrangements: Some people, for religious and other reasons, have very specific wishes concerning the disposal of their remains after they die. Some want to be buried. Others, cremated. No matter what your preferences on this matter are, it's critical that you inform your family of them far in advance. These instructions should be included in a document that is likely to be read before your death (such as a living will), or very shortly thereafter. This excludes a will, because it's frequently weeks after a person dies until their will is read.

Do I Need a San Juan Capistrano Estates Lawyer?

A knowledgeable estate planning professional in San Juan Capistrano can be invaluable, and you will probably find their services to be well worth the price. They can make the whole process a great deal easier, and they can also help to minimize the chances that your estate plan will be disputed, saving your survivors a great deal of time, money, and energy.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in San Juan Capistrano

San Juan Capistrano, California is a city located in Orange County with an approximate population of 33.826 people. This small city is filled with a lot of history. It was created around Mission San Juan Capistrano. Therefore, the city has a lot of building which complement a Spanish style architecture.

San Juan Capistrano is a beautiful suburb filled with million dollar homes, gated communities, hills, and ranches. It seems like heaven on earth! Popular attractions include the Mission San Juan Capistrano, Mission Basillica San Juan Capistrano, Trabuco Creek, El Adobe de Capistrano, The Depot, and Los Rios District.

Being located in Orange County, residents have no problems finding competent attorneys for their legal needs. Orange County is home to many law firms of all sizes, practicing in all areas of law.

Overall San Juan Capistrano residents are blessed with a strong legal force, gorgeous community, and wonderful quality of life.

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