Living trusts are a helpful estate planning tool that can allow you to avoid the frustrations and fees associated with probate. Probate is the court process required to distribute a deceased individual's property if the deceased individual had no trust and no...
Barulich Dugoni & Suttmann Law Group, Inc.
Duties of an executor
Duties of an Executor in California and What They Legally Can or Cannot Do In California, being nominated as the executor of a will means you have been appointed a fiduciary duty to stick to the will's terms in compliance with California law. With this duty, you may...
Property Tax Transfers
Property Tax Transfers and Proposition 19 The Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or Natural Disasters Act, or Proposition 19 (Prop 19), was approved by voters in California in November 2020. Prop 19 has several parts. It...
Guide to Understanding Common Legal Terms Associated With Estate Planning Including Wills and Trusts
Estate planning is a necessity when it comes to protecting your loved ones and assets after your death. There is a lot to understand when estate planning, so it's best to gain a solid understanding of terminology and concepts before you start planning. Learn more...
When to Start Estate Planning
When to Start Estate Planning When you think about wills, trusts and estate planning, it's natural to assume they are things you don't need. You might be young or not own many things of value just yet. If you're older, you might think you don't own enough or have...
How childless people can create an effective estate plan
California residents and others who don't have children can still benefit from creating an estate plan. This is because they will still need others to assist them in paying bills or taking care of other tasks if they became incapacitated. Appointing a financial agent...
Regularly reviewing an estate plan makes sense
Many Californians procrastinate when it comes to establishing an estate plan, even though most rate it high on their essential to-do list. And while those who have accomplished that task should rightfully feel good, it also should be realized it is not a one and done...
Director’s untimely death highlights need for estate plan
When a celebrity passes away with chaos in their estate, it can drive home the importance of writing a will and other estate documents. California director John Singleton was broadly celebrated for his unique vision and style. However, he repeatedly delayed writing a...
The 4 most common causes of business litigation
Business litigation is sometimes necessary when two or more parties have entered a complex dispute. While business litigation can be time-consuming, stressful and costly, it often helps parties to gain clarity over a situation and gain closure so that the business can...
Tips for estate planning in nontraditional families
California families in which there are stepchildren, adopted children, cohabiting unmarried adults, single parents and other nontraditional configurations may find that traditional estate planning advice does not cover their situation. Even trusts, which can be used...