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.

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.

Updates to Your Estate Plan When You Become a Parent

If you already have an estate plan in place before becoming a first-time parent, you are ahead of many other families. However, adding a family member is a major life change that requires an update to your estate plan. Especially when you become a first-time parent, whether the child is newborn or adopted, you need to think about the following scenarios:

• Planning ahead for legal guardianship – As long as your child is still a minor, you need to have plans in place for legal guardianship should an untimely accident befall you and your mate simultaneously.
• Setting up a trust – If something does happen to both parents of a child, just having a will is not sufficient. You want a trust in place that will protect the estate until your child reaches legal age. Be sure to choose a trustworthy successor trustee who will protect the estate for your child.
• Review life insurance policies – You may decide that you now need to carry more life insurance. This will ensure that your mate and child do not experience hardship if something should happen to you, especially if you are the family’s primary breadwinner.

Updating Your California Estate Plan

Any major change in life circumstances should result in a review of your estate plan. If you are now living in southern California, Petrov Law Firm can help you to update your plan in accord with state regulations. Give us a call today at 619.344.0360 to get started with an experienced estate planning attorney.

Don’t Make These Mistakes When It Comes to Your Estate Planning

When it comes to estate planning, there are many dos and don’ts. Here are three of the don’ts so that you can avoid the mistakes that people commonly make with this essential preparation.

• Mistake 1: Doing it yourself – Estate planning should not be a DIY project. Since the laws vary from state to state, you need an estate planning attorney in your state to help you draft documents accurately.
• Mistake 2: Delaying – People in their 20s, 30s, or even 40s will often put off estate planning. Unfortunately, we always think we have more time to make these vital decisions, but this is not always the case. Plan now for the unexpected, and don’t leave the future of your family up to chance.
• Mistake 3: Not doing it at all – Some people think that estate planning is unnecessary just because they don’t have a lot of money. That actually makes leaving things to your family the right way even more essential. You also can use estate planning to make medical decisions in advance and to appoint someone to handle financial or medical matters for you if you ever become incapacitated. Estate planning isn’t all about money.

Southern California’s Estate Planning Attorneys

When it comes to planning for your California estate, you want the professionals at Petrov Law Firm in your corner. Give us a call today at 619.344.0360 to learn more about what our estate planning attorneys can do to help you protect your family.

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.

Don’t Take Chances With Who Gets Your Estate

Many people put off estate planning because no one likes to consider their own mortality. It can also be a little confusing if you try to do your own planning without the help of a professional. However, if you want to be sure that your assets go to your loved ones, then you need to be prepared. Here are two of the most important things to do regarding estate planning.

• Don’t wait any longer – If you haven’t done any estate planning or you haven’t received help from an attorney, now is the time to get your affairs in order. While California has laws regarding succession, you don’t want to rely on the state to be certain that your beneficiaries receive what you want them to get. Good estate planning will ensure your heirs get what they deserve in an efficient way without the expense and time of the court system.
• Review your documents regularly – Even if you already have an estate plan in place, you need to go over your documents annually. Every state has its own laws regarding estates, so if you move across state lines, that means going over your plan. Also, make sure that your named beneficiaries on insurance, retirement, and bank accounts and policies are accurate and up to date.

Estate Planning Experts in Southern California

Petrov Law Firm in San Diego has the estate planning attorneys to help you set your family up for the future. Contact us today at 619.344.0360 to learn more.

Turning Your Estate Plan Into a Family Legacy

For some, the most important part of estate planning is keeping your assets out of probate court so that your beneficiaries don’t have to wait to get their inheritance (not to mention having the courts take their share). However, when you plan for the future of your estate, you may also decide that you want to create a legacy to leave behind for future generations. Here are a couple of ways to make that happen.

• Leave a donation to a favorite charity – One great way to leave a legacy for your family is to help out people in need. This shows your family what is important to you and provides an example of using wealth for philanthropy rather than solely selfish gain.
• Create new family heirlooms – Bequeath some of your most prized possessions to specific family members and provide a written or recorded video reason that you feel the item should become a family heirloom. Generations from now, your family may still be passing on those items along with your story to their children.

San Diego’s Estate Planning Experts

When you want more than a run of the mill estate plan in southern California, you want the help of our expert attorneys. Call Petrov Law Firm today at 619.344.0360 to get in touch with a professional lawyer who can help you create a lasting legacy for your family. We have convenient locations in San Diego, North County, and Chula Vista, so call today to get your estate plan started!