Debunking Myths Regarding Living Trusts

One thing you will come across when researching estate planning is the ability to use a living trust to control your assets while you are alive and then leave them to your family later. Is this really a beneficial method of estate planning? Yes! However, there are some misconceptions that cause people to shy away. Let’s debunk a few.

• Myth: It’s too expensive – While it is true that an attorney will charge more to draft a living trust than a standard will, the savings will come for your family. Rapid transfer of assets without the costs of probate court makes an initial fee more than worth it.
• Myth: My estate isn’t large enough – If your estate isn’t huge, that is all the more reason to leave it all to your family and not to the court system. Probate court will absorb a larger percentage of a smaller estate, and it will waste valuable time.
• Myth: I will lose control of my assets – Not with a living or revocable trust. You are free to do whatever you want with your things while you are still alive. An irrevocable trust is a different story, but the tax advantages are beneficial if you do have an extremely large estate.

Preparing an Effective Estate Plan in Southern California

Petrov Law Firm has the estate planning attorneys to help you prepare for the future of your loved ones. Let us assist you in finding the most efficient way to leave behind an estate of any size. Call 619.344.0360 to get started today.

Facts You Need to Know About Dog Bites in California

As a nation, Americans are estimated to own nearly 77 million dogs! More than one out of every three US households has at least one dog, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. It shouldn’t be a surprise that about 4.5 million dog bites occur annually (according to the CDC). Dog bite settlements are usually handled by the owner’s homeowners or renters insurance. Here are three things you should know about dog bites in California.

• There is a dog bite statute in the state of California – This means that as long as you were not trespassing or intentionally provoking the dog, the owner is always liable for the attack.
• California does not go by the “one bite rule” that some other states use. Such a rule would mean that the owner is only liable for an attack if the dog has bitten someone in the past. In California, the owner is potentially liable from the very first attack.
• California law does not require proof of negligence on the part of the owner. However, if you can prove that the owner was negligent when it came to protecting others from being attacked, this may provide you with a basis for requesting a larger settlement.

Help for Dog Bite Victims in Southern California

Insurance companies always want to pay as little as possible on a claim, so you need the help of an experienced personal injury attorney to make sure that you don’t get stuck covering your own medical bills or any other losses. Contact Petrov Law Firm today at 619.344.0360 to speak with an experienced attorney in San Diego.

Reasons to Review Your Estate Plan Following a Divorce

Any significant change in your life circumstance should lead to a review of your estate plan. This is particularly true when your family changes size. A divorce certainly qualifies since you now have one less family member – your spouse. Here are a couple of reasons to immediately review your estate plan after a divorce.

• Some things don’t go through probate – If you have a POD bank account, a retirement account, a trust, or a life insurance policy, the assets will go to your assigned beneficiary without passing through probate court. Therefore, you are required to change the beneficiary while you are still living. If you die and your ex’s name is still on any of these documents, they will get the inheritance despite the divorce.
• You want to take care of your kids, even if you get remarried – Getting a divorce when you have kids adds another layer to estate planning, especially if you ever get remarried. Natural succession in California will pass everything to your new mate, so if you want kids you had with an ex to get an inheritance, it now has to be explicit in your estate plan.

San Diego Estate Planning Attorneys

Petrov Law Firm has the estate planning attorneys to help walk you through this process in the state of California. Whether you have recently moved into the state, experienced a life change, or just have never put an estate plan in place before, we’re here to help. Call 619.344.0360 to get started today.

5 Tips to Help Your Child Avoid Dog Bites

When a dog bite occurs, it leads to medical care about one in five times. However, the odds are far more likely for a child to need medical assistance after a dog attack. The reason is that a child’s head, face, and neck are closer to a dog’s mouth, so the bites are more likely to take place in a dangerous area. Here are five tips to help prevent dog bites for your family.

1. Teach your child to let the dog sniff them before petting.
2. Teach your child to avoid dogs that are caring for pups, sleeping, or eating – Dogs are more likely to attack during these vulnerable times.
3. Encourage your child to ask the dog’s owner for permission before attempting to pet it – Even if the dog seems friendly, the owner can alert you if it is prone to snap at strangers.
4. Don’t leave your child alone with a dog, even if it is your family pet.
5. Help your child know what to do around a threatening dog – If a child gets scared when a dog growls, this will only encourage the animal to get more aggressive. It is important to remain calm, back away, and avoid eye contact.

Help if a Member of Your Family Has Been Bitten

If you are accumulating medical bills due to a dog bitting a member of your family, Petrov Law Firm can help. This is one of the forms of personal injury law that we specialize in. Just call 619.344.0360 to speak with one of our San Diego based lawyers, and we can get your California injury settlement started today.

Why Keep Your Estate from Going Through Probate Court

Probate court is a provision set up by each state to assist with succession when a person dies without a will or if they have a last will and testament only. It can really help a person’s family if there was no estate planning in place. However, this can take time and cut into the ultimate amount received due to court fees.

On the other hand, with a little planning, you can bypass probate and get the majority of your assets to your loved ones without the wait and expense. Here are three reasons to take advantage of trusts and other estate provisions that go straight to your beneficiaries.

• They get the money faster – Even if the trustee has instructions on how and when to distribute the money, the only delays would be due to your instructions and not for time spent in court.
• They get more of the money – While you may pay your successor trustee to handle the funds, there is no way to know how much would be used up in court, especially if your loved ones need to hire a lawyer to get your estate.
• No one knows who gets what – Probate court is public record, so everyone knows how much your assets were worth and who they went to. Proper state planning keeps your inheritance private to protect your beneficiaries.

San Diego’s Estate Planning Lawyers

Contact Petrov Law Firm today to get in touch with the area’s top estate planning attorneys. Just call 619.344.0306 to learn more about what we can do for you.

Don’t Make These Blunders When It Comes to Estate Planning

Procrastination is common, especially when what we have to accomplish seems like a giant we need to slay. That can happen when it comes to estate planning. It may seem like a monumental task that is best left for another day. Or you may simply not want to think about your own mortality. However, you don’t want to make one of the three classic blunders regarding this crucial task. Here are three things to avoid:

• Waiting until it is too late – From car accidents to illnesses, there are so many things that could result in a healthy person being tragically taken or incapacitated. You need to have your estate plan in place now, just in case.
• Failing to review your plan after life changes – From a wedding or birth to a divorce or death, you need to review your plan every time you experience a major change in life circumstances. Moving to a new state also counts since your plan with have to reflect state legislation.
• Using a DIY will off the Internet – When you are planning for the future of your family, you don’t want to leave anything to chance. A professional can help ensure that your estate goes to your heirs instead of the government.

Estate Planning Professionals in Southern California

Don’t delay. Get help with your estate plan now. The pros at Petrov Law Firm can help you develop an estate plan from scratch or review and amend an existing plan. Call 619.344.0360 to get started today!

How Having Children Should Impact Your Estate Plan

Having a child is a momentous occasion in the life of a family. Whether this is your first or you have several little ones running around the family home, you have reasons for joy. You also have reasons to revisit your estate plan. Here are some things you may need to change now that you have children in the household.

• Legal guardian planning – No parent wants to think about their child having to go through the loss of a parent at a young age. However, accidents can happen, and the loving thing to do is to be prepared. That means assigning guardianship of your minor children should anything cause you and your spouse both to pass away at the same time.
• Putting a trust in place for each child – A trust is a great way to ensure that your child will be well taken care of, even if you die before they reach legal age. The money will be protected in the trust, and a loyal successor trustee can ensure that the funds are used to care for your child until he or she is old enough to accept the assets themselves.

Don’t Wait to Begin Estate Planning if You Have Children

Now is the time to get your estate planning squared away, and don’t forget to review your plan every time you add a new member to the family. Petrov Law Firm is here to help. Just call 619.344.0360 to ensure your family is protected.

Three Ways to Prepare Your Trust for a Beneficiary with Health Problems

When your beneficiaries have preexisting health conditions, this can have an effect on your estate planning. In what ways may the plan be affected? Here are a few tips when it comes to leaving behind assets in trust for an ill family member. Keep in mind that these suggestions apply for family members with all sorts of chronic ailments, including mental illnesses.

• Your successor trustee will play a crucial role – Choose someone who you trust to be able to handle the delicate situations that may arise when carrying out your instructions regarding the dispensation of the trust.
• Your instructions need to be crystal clear – If your instructions are clear, this empowers your successor trustee to handle matters with the proper compassion, while also protecting the estate for your loved one. When it comes to financial matters, sentimentality can often be a detriment, whereas logical thinking can result in the best fiduciary decisions.
• Include disbursements for medical care – Make sure your loved one can get the medical care that he or she needs by allowing early disbursement of funds. This is especially vital if your beneficiary is a minor who may not otherwise have access to the money.

Compassionate Estate Planning in Southern California

For all of your estate planning needs, especially if your family faces a delicate situation, contact Petrov Law Firm. Call 619.344.0360 today to learn how our estate planning attorneys can help you to craft a plan that meets the unique needs of your family.

Estate Plan Considerations if You Are at High-Risk for COVID-19

While California is taking rapid action to combat the spread of COVID-19, it is still vital for each of us to do what we can to protect our own family. One thing to consider is your estate plan, either developing one or reviewing your existing plan. Here are a few things to think about for those who are at high-risk.

• Is your advance medical directive in order? – If you end up on a ventilator, you want your medical wishes down in writing in advance, and you need to select an agent to help ensure those decisions are enforced.
• Do you have a will, trusts, or joint accounts set up for a clear transition of assets? – If something should happen to you suddenly, you won’t have time to scramble and get documents together. These decisions need to be made in advance.
• Do you have a contingency if you and your primary beneficiary both die? – Sadly, this disease has, at times, simultaneously claimed the lives of multiple members of a family. You need to be sure that there are secondary beneficiaries in place.
• Is your existing plan up to date? – If you already have an estate plan, it wouldn’t hurt to go over it, Make sure that your current beneficiaries are the ones that you want in place and make any changes that you need to right away.

Estate Planning Professionals in San Diego

If you live in the San Diego area, contact Petrov Law Firm for all of your estate planning needs. Just call 619.344.0360 to schedule a consultation with an experienced estate planning lawyer.

Dog Attack Prevention Tips for Families

Millions of dog attacks occur each year across the US, resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation. However, you would obviously prefer to avoid an attack on a member of your family then have to seek a settlement, so here are a few tips to help prevent dog bites, particularly when it comes to children.

• Don’t approach chained dogs – Teach your kids to avoid dogs that are chained up. Clearly, the owner knows the dog is high-risk for an attack, so getting close to the dog is asking for trouble. It is unlikely that an insurance company will cover an attack by a dog that has been provoked.
• Be careful about certain breeds – Pitbulls and any sort of pitbull mix are known to be an issue when it comes to dog attacks. However, you also need to be careful with several other breeds. One that may surprise you is the German shepherd. They are very protective of their own family, so their kids will be safe, but you may not be.
• Have your family dog neutered or spayed – Statistics show that this will decrease the risk of your household pet attacking a member of the family.

San Diego Personal Injury Attorneys for Dog Attacks

The lawyers at Petrov Law Firm can handle any personal injury claim. However, one of our specialties is dog bites. So if you or a loved one has experienced an attack in southern California, we’re here to help. Call 619.344.0360 to get your case started today.