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Many adults spend time deciding who should oversee their estate when they die. They may select someone based on their personality and their personal history. Of course, people might die without naming they might die without a will at all, or they might name someone...
When someone dies, whatever property they own becomes the property of their estate. Their financial obligations also pass to their estate. The personal representative named in an estate plan or appointed by the courts has to fulfill the decedent's financial...
Usually, estate planning documents and state law determine what happens with someone's property after they die. State law can manage the entire process, or people can take control of their legacies by creating wills. A will can designate specific assets for individual...
Among the most valuable assets a person can inherit is a home, especially in California where prices are among the highest in the country. It can also be one of the more complex assets one can inherit, particularly if it has to go through probate. If you inherit a...
The death of a debtor can complicate matters for creditors owed money. While the debt doesn't simply disappear, navigating the process of collecting from a deceased individual's estate requires specific procedures under California law. When someone passes away in the...
Businesses owed money by an individual typically expect to receive full repayment. Sometimes, the collection process can become quite lengthy. Individuals may not currently have the resources or income to pay the debt in full and may only make minimal payments toward...
Title issues are a major concern for those who purchase real property. Whether they buy a home to use as a primary residence or as an investment, what they really pay for is the title to a property. Occasionally, someone who acquires real property receives a letter...
There are sometimes reasons why beneficiaries or family members may have questions about someone's will. They may believe that fraud has occurred. Other times, they may suspect that a family member or caregiver inappropriately influenced a testator. Occasionally, the...
The California probate courts oversee the administration of people's estates. Family members file testamentary documents with the courts or testify that there are no such documents to guide the process. The courts then help ensure that the administration of the estate...
A will is perhaps the most useful estate planning document for most circumstances. In the absence of other testamentary paperwork, a will determines who inherits property from someone's estate. It can name a specific party to serve as the personal representative of...