Estate Planning

Regular readers of our blog posts at the established Bay Area Law Offices of Berge & Berge are routinely minded that trust creation can materially promote the interests of estate planning individuals and families. Granted, trusts are not applicable to every planning situation. No legal instrument is. The broad universe of trust types renders it likely, though, that one or…

The estate planning realm features tools of significant scope and variety that can be employed to promote fundamentally important goals of individuals and families. Whether used singly or in concert, those tools can address and resolve key issues across an impressively broad spectrum. Estate planning concerns span matters ranging from asset preservation, heirs’ inheritances and charitable giving to lawful tax…

It’s easy for the relatively well-heeled to successfully pass along accrued wealth to inheriting children, right? After all, grantors with sizable assets are well positioned to ensure the optimal transfer of property. They comfortably know that the family fortune will endure across successive generations. Actually, let’s just rewind that above paragraph and underscore an alternative financial reality that is amply…

“It’s never too early.” That quickly offered tip precedes all others spotlighted in a recent how-to article on estate planning appearing in the online publication Personal Finance. Many prospective planners in California and across the country drag their feet when it comes to taking meaningful steps toward crafting a sound and tailored estate plan. Their disinclination to act can owe…

Many people have a disinclination for one reason or another to put off estate planning they know they should attend to. The catalysts that drive procrastination are many and varied. “There’s always tomorrow” is a mantra often heard when it comes to planning. That’s a comforting thought. In fact, though, tomorrow is never promised. That seems especially evident during times…

Maybe you and your spouse are young and recent newlyweds wondering if there is more to estate planning than mere will execution. Or perhaps you and your partner are a few years into an established marriage and have a child with special needs. You understandably worry about his or her future in the event that either one or both of…

Procrastinate. That is what some individuals in the South Bay Area and elsewhere across California tend to do when it comes to consulting with a proven attorney and crafting a proactive and protective estate planning strategy. The reasons for initial disinclination on the planning front are myriad and varied. Some would-be planners view – in good faith but mistakenly –…

It may seem silly to “plan” for a sudden illness. Nobody expects to get seriously sick out of the blue. However, an estate plan can enable you to spell out your medical wishes should you ever fall ill. A sudden illness can strike anyone, regardless of age or risk category. That’s why it is never too early for you to…

Most of the time, you focus on the routine tasks, chores and joys that fill up your days. You don’t give much thought to the future beyond the next couple of days or weeks. But sometimes life reminds us that we’re mortal, that good health is a blessing and that things can change. In these moments, you might think about…

When the stock market turns volatile and drops, it’s natural to worry about your retirement funds and other portfolios. However, you may also find some excellent estate planning opportunities hidden among all the turbulence. As the ultra-wealthy understand, markets are bound to plunge downward at times. But history says they’ll turn upward again eventually. Even if you’re not ultra-wealthy, focusing…