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Service You Can Depend On, Experience You Can Trust

Proactive Estate Planning

Our knowledgeable legal team at the Bauer & Shekerlian Law can help you protect your loved ones through personalized estate planning. We strive to help you transfer assets to your heirs in the most cost-effective way, and with the least possible tax burden. Estate planning instruments can include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, nominations of guardians, and certificates of trust. Some of the advantages of an estate plan include:

  • The ability to choose who will inherit your assets

  • Potential reduction of taxes on what you leave behind

  • The ability to name your children’s guardian in the event of your untimely death

  • A reduction in the chances of family conflicts and unfortunate legal battles

  • The ability to designate who can care for you and manage your finances if you get Alzheimer’s, Dementia, or in any other way mentally incompetent

Even if you think you don’t have any valuable assets to pass on, settling your affairs in the California courts could be time-consuming and very costly for those you leave behind without having a proper plan in place.

Trusts Tailored To Your Needs

A trust helps individuals maintain control over how their assets are distributed after they die. A trust must be created during your lifetime and you must transfer title of your assets and property from your name into the trust. Your assets in the trust usually are for your benefit during your lifetime, and then are held for the benefit of selected beneficiaries upon your death. When you die, the trust saves your beneficiaries the expense and delay of probate, which can sometimes drag on for years and costs tens of thousands of dollars. There are many types of trusts, and we can help you determine which type is right for you.

A will can be used as a way to name guardians for children and specify funeral arrangements but is much better suited to act as a “safety net” for assets that are not included in a trust. For a trust to fully control your assets, those assets must be formally transferred into the trust. If those assets are not properly transferred into the trust, then they will only pass on to your heirs by the ruling of a probate court judge.

Planning Your Legacy

Legacy planning can give you a sense of purpose for your life as a way to be remembered through your giving. This typically includes philanthropic goals in addition to family beneficiaries. As a part of your plan, we can help you identify and implement goals that will utilize your existing assets to benefit family and charities after you die. Additionally, you can often get tax benefits during your life for contributing to charities when you die.

We’re Here For You

We understand that you may have many questions and concerns about making decisions for your estate. We are happy to answer any questions about the planning process and your options. Schedule a free consultation with Bauer & Shekerlian Law by calling 866-202-5154 or by sending us an email.

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