Why Plan your Estate?

The purpose of estate planning is to help a person build a large estate during life and to pass on as much of it as possible to the loved ones upon death.  While you might not have the $$$ Michael Jackson does, the problems can be very similar. ^{*  2.7.2014 LA Times} *

The main considerations in estate planning are:

• Avoiding probate

• Reviewing wills

• Considering a revocable living trust

• Reducing estate and inheritance taxes

• Quickly distributing the estate to your heirs. ^{(lawyer at large.com )}

 Consumer Links

• CA State Bar – FAQ’s
• Free Advise.com ESTATE PLANNING
  • Asset Protection
  • Estates Legalese
  • Free Advise.com Elder Law, ,  , ,
  • Wills
• Special Needs Trust disabled child
• California Courts – Self Help Site
• CA Court Property Declaration form for spouses to list the assets and how they think the assets should be divided
• J Law General Rules for Taxation of Estates and Trusts
• Questionnaire for Estate Planning 

ESTATE PLANNING #QUESTIONNAIRE

Advance Planning is vital to make sure that your financial and emotional goals are met when the unfortunate inevitably happens.

The questionnaire below will help you organize your assets and where you want them to go after your death.   Assets left out of an estate plan, regardless of the reason, will have to be probated unless they fall into a state’s exemptions from probate such as being in joint tenancy or in a trust of some type. Planning now, can help avoid problems, if any of your heirs want to contest the will, by saying you were not mentally able (competent) to make the plans you wanted to make.

It is not uncommon for a person to forget a piece of property inherited years earlier from old Uncle Bill in Tulsa or Aunt Emily in Maine. Then after death, the person’s heirs discover the existence of the forgotten property. Thereafter, the heirs are forced to spend thousands of dollars needlessly to probate the property to place the title in their names.

See our page on Sample Wills and scroll down to learn about Intestate Succession if you don’t have a will!

A. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

 

1. Name (include all other names once used, i.e. maiden) __________________________

1. Address and phone number (home and business) ___________________________________________________________

3. Employer’s name, address and phone number: ______________________________________________________________

4. Spouse’s employer’s name, address and phone number: ______________________________________________________

5. Occupation:____________________________

6. Spouse’s occupation:__________________

7. Social security number:___________________

8. Spouse’s social security number:___________

9. Former military service (branch and dates of service): ______________________________________________________

10. Date and place of birth:___________________

11. Name of spouse:_________________________

12. Date and place of spouse’s birth: _____________

13. Date and place of marriage: ____________

14. Length of residency in the state: _________________

 

1. Previous marriages for each spouse: _____________

16. Children:_______________________________

17. Children of spouse (step-children):__________

18. Deceased children: _____________________

19. Grandchildren:_________________________

20. Grandchildren of spouse: ___________________

21. Parents and address: _____________________________ __________________________________________________

22. Parents of spouse and address: ______________________

23. Last will:

 

a. Date executed:___________________________________

 

b . Location of original: __________________________ _________________________________________________

 

c. Attorney who prepared will, address, phone: _____

_________________________________________________

B. PROPERTY

 

1. Real property (for each piece of real property state):

a. (1) Type of property: _______________________________

(2) Location of property: ___________________________

_________________________________________________

(3) Holder and amount of liens on the property:______

_________________________________________________

 

(4) Fair market value of the property not deducting for the liens: ______________________________________

 

(5) Date of purchase and original amount: ___________

_________________________________________________

(6) How is title to the property taken? (What does it say on the deed? separate property, joint tenancy,

tenancy in the entirety, tenancy in common): ________________________________________

b. (1) Type of property: _______________________________

(2) Location of property: ___________________________

(3) Holder and amount of liens on the property:

_________________________________________________

(4) Fair market value of the property not deducting for the liens: ______________________________________

_________________________________________________

 

(5) Date of purchase and original amount:____________

_________________________________________________

(6) How is title to the property taken? (What does it say on the deed? separate property, joint tenancy,

tenancy by the entirety, tenancy in common): ________________________________________

_________________________________________________

 

c. (1) Type of property: _______________________________

(2) Location of property:____________________________

_________________________________________________

(3) Holder and amount of liens on the property: _____

_______________________________________________

(4) Fair market value of the property not deducting for the liens: ______________________________________ Source  MICHAEL LYNN GABRIEL, Esq., *  Stroh…

Estate Planning - Life Insurance & Long Term Care Related Pages 

• Estate Planning
  • Estate & Gift Taxes
  • Living Trust – Bank Accounts?
    • Executor – Successor Trustee – What are the duties?
    • Sample – Example California Will – Where does your stuff go? Health Care Directive
      • Probate
      • Will Contests – Disinherit a child
    • Special Needs Trust
• Life Insurance – Instant Quotes – Universal – Key Man Life
  • Rated – Surcharged Policies
    • Final Expense – Almost Guaranteed Issue
• Long Term Care Nursing & Home Health Care