From the Desk of San Diego Probate Attorney, Kristina Hess
Recently I was sitting in San Diego Probate Court one morning listening to some probate sagas where family members were feuding about how a parent’s estate was to be administered…
Aside from the family division caused by people fighting over who was going to administer the estate, the other glaring issue was that the debate playing out in court was eating away at the estate through attorneys’ fees and time and energy of the people involved.
It is devastating to lose a parent or other loved one, feuds over the estate only exacerbate an already painful situation.
People often don’t want to spend the money to set up a living trust because no one thinks they will die anytime soon. People put it off for tomorrow, and sometimes tomorrow doesn’t come and then tragically, it’s too late.
Don’t put off what needs to be done today. If you own property in the state of California that is has a gross fair market value in excess of $20,000, then you can avoid probate and the expense, time delay, and potential disputes by setting up a living trust where you make your wishes known. It is also key that all of your assets are owned properly and certain assets are funded to your living trust.
Probate court can often be avoided.
Create legacies that last and avoid family feuds by doing some simple estate planning.
Warmly,
Kristina Hess
San Diego Trust and Probate Attorney