Estate Planning

Planning for your death can be uncomfortable. No one likes to think about their mortality. But estate planning is the best way to ensure that the people you love are cared for after your death. It's important to remember that estate planning isn't just for the wealthy. While estate planning is a necessary component of financial planning, it's about more than money. Your estate plan can make decisions for minor or disabled children and put in place financial protection for you and your family in the event you become incapacitated. If you neglect your estate plan, you're neglecting more than your family. At Progress Law, we can help you plan for the future, ensuring stability for your family.

Wills

A will is a great place to start. A goodwill can dictate your wishes to both your loved ones and the courts and be the foundation of your estate plan, outlining how all the pieces of your estate plan fit together. Without a will, a court will appoint an executor to distribute your estate according to the California law of intestate succession. Estates over $166,250 typically need to go through probate, which is a complicated and often expensive process in California. At Progress Law, we can help construct your estate plan by combining a simple will with a living trust to avoid probate.

Living Trusts

You can change or revoke a living trust, also known as a revocable trust, at any time. A living trust allows you to place your assets in the trust and serve as the trustee of your assets. The trust enables your heirs to avoid a lengthy probate administrative process but still allows you to control your assets while still alive. At Progress Law, we can help you determine if a living trust is a right choice for your estate.

Durable Power of Attorney

A durable power of attorney allows you to appoint someone you trust to take charge of your assets and financial transactions if you become incapacitated. Our attorneys can work with you to create a general durable power of attorney to protect your finances if you become incapacitated. 

Advanced Health Care Directives

An advanced health care directive allows you to appoint someone to be in charge of your health care decisions and dictate the type of care you'd like to receive if you can no longer make those decisions. At Progress Law, we can help you take charge of your critical health care and end-of-life decisions.

Probate and Executors

Sometimes it's not possible to avoid probate. If you're an heir facing the probate process or an estate executor, you may have to navigate the legal process. At Progress Law, we can help with legal guidance and, if necessary, representation in court.