Your will is the foundation of your estate plan, as it directs what happens to your property after you pass away. You can also use your will for other goals, such as naming a guardian for your minor children and naming the person who will handle administration of your estate.
Although you are not required to work with a California estate planning lawyer to create your will, it is strongly recommended. A lawyer will help you think about your estate plan from a very high level so that you don’t miss any important details. An attorney will also be more familiar with the relevant laws and challenges that apply to your case.
When you create an estate plan in California with the help of an attorney, you’ll feel more at peace regarding your decisions. Not everyone wants to use the same process or strategies to achieve the same outcomes, such as passing on real estate. While you could gift it outright through your will, using a transfer on death deed or putting the property in a trust may provide better benefits for your loved ones depending on your situation.
In these conversations with a Pasadena estate planning lawyer is where you really find the value of hiring someone else to help execute your will. You may adjust your plans based on the pros and cons of each decision, ultimately deciding to keep things simple now by including most directions in your will or making things easier for your loved ones in the future with some more advanced tools.
The truth is that estate planning must be personalized to the individual documenting their wishes, and without the help of an attorney, it’s all too easy to overlook some important aspects of the planning process.
If you’d like help thinking through these big and important issues, contact a Pasadena area estate planning lawyer today for more assistance.
