Estate Planning

How Becoming a Parent Should Change Your Estate Plan

You may already have an estate plan in place, which is a good way to show your mate you want to care for their future. However, having children should result in changes to your estate plan. Here are a few of the reasons.

• Preparing for the possible need for a legal guardian – When holding your newborn, you probably aren’t thinking about where they would be if you and your spouse were suddenly gone. However, every parent should prepare for legal guardianship of their child in the event of a tragedy.
• Set up a trust for dispensing inheritance – For everything from college tuition to buying a house for the first time to getting married, you want to set aside funds for the big events in your child’s life. A trust can allow you to set aside assets that your child will be able to use in the future, whether or not you are there to provide support in person.
• Increase your life insurance – When it was just you and your mate, you may not have felt the need to carry a large policy. However, if something happens to you now, you want to be sure to have a large enough life insurance policy to support a single parent. This may mean increasing your life insurance policy, especially if you provide the family’s main income.

California Estate Planning Attorneys

Petrov Law Firm can help you to update your existing estate plan or to develop a new one from scratch. Call our San Diego office at 619.344.0360 today to get started.

What Can an Estate Planning Attorney Do for You?

What benefits can you expect to receive when you hire an estate planning attorney? Here are some of the services provided.

• Draft a last will and testament – This is the most basic form of estate planning but should still be drafted properly by an attorney in your state as each state has its own laws of succession.
• Designate beneficiaries – You also want to review your beneficiaries periodically or when you experience a life-changing event (birth or death in the family, divorce, marriage, etc.).
• Set up a DPA (durable power of attorney) and designate a medical DPA – This can allow someone to make financial or medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated.
• Find a workaround for the estate tax, as needed – For very large estates, this is essential so that your heirs don’t pay exorbitant tax rates.
• Reduce or eliminate the need for your estate to go through probate court – Probate can get expensive and increase the amount of time it takes for your beneficiaries to receive their inheritance.
• Establish living trusts so you can control your assets while alive but ensure they go to the right individual(s) when you pass away.

Estate Planning Attorneys in San Diego

If you live in southern California, you can easily obtain all of these benefits by contacting Petrov Law Firm. Call 619.344.0360 to speak with an estate planning attorney who is experienced with California state laws. We can help you to begin a new estate plan or review an existing plan to ensure your wishes will be properly carried out.

3 Crucial Facts About Rabies

A dog bite can cause a lot of damage on its own, but if there is no immediate danger to the life of the person attacked, then the number one concern becomes rabies. Here are three facts you need to know about this deadly disease in order to protect yourself.

• Rabies Still Exists in the United States – Some people think of this as a third-world disease. It is true that 95% of rabies death happen in poorer nations in Asia or Africa. However, this is not because rabies has been eradicated from the US. Rather, it is because treatment is readily accessible. If you are bitten in any state other than Hawaii, rabies is a concern (Hawaii was rabies-free as of the writing of this article).
• Foaming at the Mouth Is Not As Common As You Think – Most people believe that the way to know a dog has rabies is to see it foaming at the mouth. However, this doesn’t happen in all cases. Rabies generally causes the animal to exhibit flu-like symptoms.
• You Have to Be Treated Before Symptoms Arise – This is the scary part about rabies. If you start showing symptoms, it is too late for treatment. If you cannot be 100% certain the dog was properly vaccinated, a doctor is going to treat a dog bite patient for rabies just to be safe.

San Diego’s Dog Bite Lawyers

Rabies treatment and other emergency medical care can get expensive in the wake of a dog attack. Petrov Law Firm can help you to recoup those losses. Contact us today at 619.344.0360 to learn more.

5 Ways You May Accidentally Antagonize a Dog

Dog attacks are common, and if you want to avoid bites, you need to be careful, especially with a dog you have never met before. Here are a few ways in which you may unintentionally cause a dog to get his hackles up (literally).

• Raising your voice – Yelling makes a dog anxious. It doesn’t matter if you are yelling at the dog, the owner, or even just excited about what you are saying. Be cautious about raising your voice around a dog.
• Touching its face – This isn’t true of all dogs, but many dogs do not like to have their face touched. Stick to the neck or shoulders unless you know the dog well.
• Challenging eye contact – Eye contact is for communication within the pack. A stranger holding eye contact may be viewed as a threat.
• Wearing strong scents – Dogs have sensitive noses and dislike strong odors. A strong perfume or even deodorant may put a dog off.
• Your mood – Dogs are very sensitive to the moods of humans – If you are angry or even sad, it can make a dog feel stressed. If you are not in a good mood, it is best to avoid meeting a new dog.

If You Have Been Injured By Someone’s Dog

Petrov Law Firm specializes in dog attacks in California. If you have experienced an injury that was no fault of your own, we can help you to seek compensation for medical bills and other losses. Call 619.344.0360 to get the process started.

What Are Some of the Benefits of Using a Living Trust for Your Estate?

A living trust can help maximize the benefits your family gains from your estate planning. Here are some of the advantages of this method of financial planning.

• Affordable – While it is much cheaper simply to have a will than to set up a trust, you still have to factor in things like the time and money that will go to probate court. A trust gets the money to the right heirs faster and with minimal costs.
• Flexible – Some people avoid trusts because they think their estate is too small. However, this is a very flexible form of estate planning. The size of your estate doesn’t really matter – it won’t be too large or too small. Plus, if you have a sudden change in the size of your estate, a trust is equipped to handle it.
• Retain control – A living trust allows you to keep control of all your assets while you are still alive. It is not shared, such as when having a family member’s name on your accounts. The money or assets are not locked into the estate. You can add or remove what is in the trust at your own discretion and buy or sell as you please.

Southern California’s Estate Planning Attorneys

Keep in mind that the laws of succession are different from state to state, so you will want to find a local estate attorney, especially if you have just moved to California from another state. Petrov Law Firm in San Diego can help. Give us a call at 619.344.0360 to start your estate plan or review and update an existing plan.

3 Steps You Can Take Today to Get Started with Estate Planning

Estate planning is something that always seems to get pushed off until tomorrow. However, you never know when tomorrow may be the day your family needs that estate plan in place. Therefore, we’ve come up with a list of three things you can do today to get your estate plan rolling.

#1 Take Inventory of Your Assets

Even if you don’t think there is enough to your estate to justify planning ahead, a tangible inventory will convince most people otherwise. Think about your home, property, vehicles, collectibles, and other personal possessions. Then add in bank accounts, investment or retirement accounts, and insurance policies. Do you own a business? You may realize you have a lot more to leave behind than you thought.

#2 Think of What Your Family Will Need

Are you the primary breadwinner in the household? Do you have minor children who will need a first car and tuition for college? How much does a proper funeral and burial cost in your area? Once you think about things your family will need when you are not there anymore, it becomes clear that you need to plan ahead and that there are specific events you should be planning for.

#3 Contact an Estate Planning Attorney in Your State

Estate planning law varies from state to state, so you need an attorney who is experienced in local law. In southern California, you can trust the experienced estate planning attorneys at Petrov Law Firm. Give us a call today at 619.344.0360 to schedule a consultation.

Owners Are Almost Always Liable for Dog Bites in California

If you have been injured by a dog in the state of California, you are likely to receive compensation. This should be covered by the owner’s home or rental insurance. Either way, there are only a few requirements that you have to meet in order to seek compensation for your losses.

• A dog bite caused the damages
• And you were bitten while in public
• Or you were bitten on private property, but you were there legally

Really, the only time an owner would not be liable for the damages caused by their dog biting a person would be for an unlawful trespasser. Whether you are a welcome guest, a delivery person, or just someone passing by on the street, it is up to the owner to have their dog under control.

What recourse do you have if you have been injured by a dog and the expenses are piling up? If you live in southern California, we can help!

Southern California’s Dog Bite Attorneys

At Petrov Law Firm in San Diego, we specialize in helping dog bite victims to receive just compensation. Don’t let the insurance company tell you what you deserve. They are just trying to run a business – they don’t care about your losses. We are here to help ensure you are compensated for medical bills, missed days of work, and other damages like these. Just call 619.344.0360 today and speak with a personal injury lawyer to get your case started.

Ensuring Your Estate Transitions to Your Desired Beneficiaries

Estate planning plays a crucial role in making sure that your beneficiaries get the assets you wish to transfer to them when you pass on. There are two vital factors that play a role in making sure that your wishes are carried out.

1. Have an estate plan – You may assume that the state will distribute your assets to the family members you want them to go to, especially if you want to leave everything to a spouse or your children. However, things are not always so cut and dry, and without proper estate planning, your assets may be tied up in probate court for months or years, with much of the estate being drained in the process.
2. Review your plan annually – At least once per year, you want to review your plan to ensure that your current wishes are documented properly. This is also essential when you experience a change in life such as a birth in the family, death of a beneficiary, divorce, new assets, loss of an asset, marriage, moving to a new state, etc.

When you take the time to have a plan in place, this shows loving concern for those who will have to deal with the court system in order to receive their inheritance from you.

California Estate Planning Attorneys in San Diego

Since estate planning laws vary from state to state, you want a local attorney to help. Petrov Law Firm can help your family to be prepared for the future. Call 619.344.0360 to begin or revise your estate plan now.

Filing a Claim When Another Dog Bites Your Dog

If a dog attacks you, a personal injury claim can allow you to receive compensation for your medical bills and other losses. However, what if it is your dog that is attacked by someone else’s dog? Now the claim changes from personal injury to property damage. Even though your dog feels like part of the family, it is property for legal purposes.

That does mean that you may still be entitled to damages. For example, there may be expensive medical bills for your beloved pet. According to California, you need to be compensated for all damages that result from dog attacks.

Unfortunately, property damage claims do not include pain and suffering as a personal injury case would. For example, if your dog is permanently injured, you may receive compensation for future medical care. However, you won’t be compensated for the hardship your pet may face if it should experience lasting harm (for example, the loss of a limb).

Dog Bite Injury Attorneys in Southern California

If you or a family member has been injured by someone else’s dog, Petrov Law Firm is here to help. And while we specialize in personal injury cases, if your family pet stepped in to try and save and the day and experienced harm, you should receive compensation for veterinary bills as well.

Give us a call today at 619.344.0360, so we can discuss the particulars of your case. Our experienced attorneys are just who you want in your corner when seeking compensation from an insurance company.

Dog Bite Prevention for Delivery Persons

Delivery persons have always been a target for dog attacks, and with more deliveries than ever before, thanks to the pandemic, you need to know how to stay safe. Whether you are a long-time delivery person or starting a new job, here are some tips to help.

• Don’t make deliveries with headphones on – We understand that music can help the day go faster, but stick to listening while in the truck. When you are approaching a door, you need to be aware of your surroundings.
• Be wary of interactions with the owner – Handing a package to the owner in the presence of a dog may be seen as an aggressive act. Be careful not to make any sudden moves toward a pet owner in the presence of the animal. Plus, during the pandemic, you want to keep your distance anyway.
• Don’t try to interact with the dog – Even if a dog seems friendly, that may change when you make an approach. Even if you really like dogs, it is best not to try and pet dogs you meet on your route.
• Back away – If a dog seems threatened, don’t turn your back on it. It is always best to back away. If you feel it is not safe to make a delivery, you can report it.

Help for Victims of Dog Bites in California

If you do end up experiencing a dog bite, medical bills, missed workdays, and other expenses can add up quickly. Petrov Law Firm can help you to receive the settlement you deserve from the owner’s insurance. Contact us today at 619.344.0360 to learn more.