Living Trust | Estate Planning Attorney
Los Angeles and Orange County Living Trust Lawyer Claudia S. Bowley
Attorney at Law specialized in Estate Planning that tailors to your particular needs and avoids problems in the future.
We are State Bar of California members
Living Trust
Pasadena and Orange County Living Trust Lawyer that tailors to your particular needs and avoids problems in the future.
Estate Planning
Living Trust
Wills
Powers of Attorney
Healt Care Directives
Guardianship and Adoptions
Living Trust
What is a trust?
A trust is also a legal document that describes how you wish your assets to be distributed upon your death. However, unlike a will, a trust avoids the probate process.
If you have neither a will nor a trust, an administrator of the estate will be appointed by the court.
Can I change my will? Yes, wills can be changed during your lifetime as long as you are not mentally incapacitated.
How does a trust/living trust work?
You, the creator of the trust, create a document describing how you want your assets to be distribute when you die and designate a person to be in charge of carrying out your wishes. In a trust you remain in control of your assets until you die. A trust avoids probate!
If you have neither a will nor a trust, an administrator of the estate will be appointed by the court.
Can I change my will? Yes, wills can be changed during your lifetime as long as you are not mentally incapacitated.
Can I change my trust?
Yes! The most common type of trust is called a revocable living trust. In a revocable trust, you, the creator, can make changes at any time during your lifetime.
Should I create a will or a trust?
The decision on whether to choose a will or a trust depends on various factors. Wills are less expensive in the short term, but they do not avoid probate court, and therefore the distribution of assets will still be overseen by the state so the expenses will be incurred after you die.
Going through probate involves hiring a probate attorney to help you navigate the court system and can become very expensive. A trust, on the other hand, avoids probate and court control of your assets.
Although a trust is initially more expensive, is the best along term solution.
A Will
What is a will? – A will is a legal document describing how you want your assets to be distributed when you die. A will has to be registered with the court and undergo a legal process called probate. If you have a will, the executor of your will is appointed by the court to deal with your assets in probate court.
Power of Attorney (POA)
A Power of Attorney is a legal document that allows you to designate a person you trust to manage your financial and personal affairs on your behalf. A power of attorney can be general or limited. Also, a POA can take effect immediately or when you become incapacitated, or are for some other reason, unable to take care of your personal and financial affairs.
Advanced Health Care Directives (AHCD)
An Advanced Health Care Directive is a legal document that allows you to make specific, written instructions for your future health care in the event that you become incapacitated and cannot speak for yourself. An AHCD also allows you to appoint a person you trust to have the legal authority to make health care decision for you if you are longer able to do so.
Guardianship
Guardianship is an important legal tool that allows a responsible adult to request custody of a minor when his/her parents are unable or unwilling to care for this minor. The process entails a court proceeding in which a judge appoints a guardian based on several considerations: A petition for appointment of guardian; the parent’s wishes; a court investigation; the child’s best interests. Once appointed by the court a guardian has the legal right to make decisions on behalf of the child.
Nomination of a Guardian
Nomination of a Guardian is an estate planning legal tool that allows you to designate who you would like to take care of your child when you pass away or become unable to care for your child. The person you designate will still need to petition the court to award legal guardianship, but nominating guardian is a way to make sure the court knows you wishes.
Adoptions
Adoption is the legal process of establishing a legal parent-child relationship when the adopting parent is not the child’s biological or birth parent. In California, adopting parents must be at least 10 years older than the child they are adopting, with the exceptions of stepparents or relative adoptions. The adoption process requires a home study by the county’s Department of Children and Family Services, criminal background checks and a court hearing before a judge.
Claudia S. Bowley, Attorney at Law
Ms. Bowley is a member of the State Bar of California; the Los Angeles County Bar Association; and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
“Our mission is to provide honest, affordable, and tailored legal services for our clients to assist them in resolving family law matters, navigate the immigration system, and ensure that future generations are well taken care of through well drafted wills and living trusts.” – Claudia S. Bowley.
Estate Planning
Living Trusts / Wills
Los Angeles, California Office
1122 E. Green Street
Pasadena, California 91106