by SAMUEL B. LEDWITZ, J.D., LL.M. | Last updated Aug 29, 2023 | Estate Planning, Living Trusts, Trusts, Wills
When estate planning for digital assets, it’s important to consider the following: Identify what digital assets you have: This includes social media accounts, email accounts, online banking and investment accounts, and any other digital assets that may have financial or sentimental value.
Determine who will have access to the assets:
by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Aug 29, 2023 | Probate
The gross value of the estate is the fair market value of the estate before the debts are paid. For example, a $200,00 home is left to a child by a parent in a will. As the estate goes through the probate process, there will be fees of approximately $8,000 in Statutory and Attorney Fees. These fees are due, even if there’s a mortgage against the home for $180,000, because the fee is based on the full fair market value of the estate before paying off any debts. In addition to court mandated fees, there are other expenses necessary to prepare everything for probate. These may include, but are not limited to: Bondsman fees Asset appraisal fees Court filing fees Publication fees Extraordinary fees The best and safest way to avoid probate is through estate planning and using a Revocable Living... by SAMUEL B. LEDWITZ, J.D., LL.M. | Last updated Aug 10, 2023 | Advanced Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Probate, Trusts
When someone passes away, one of the first things a Trustee need to do is to find out what assets are in the trust, which need to be put into the trust, and which have direct beneficiary designations. Most estate plans have an inventory sheet where all the trust assets are listed, but most people ignore it, or the inventory in it gets outdated over time.
The best place to start is by collecting the deceased person’s mail.
by SAMUEL B. LEDWITZ, J.D., LL.M. | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Estate Planning, Probate, Taxes, Trusts, Wills
There are two common estate planning technique mistakes that we see in our office all the time.
They are Payable on Death (POD) and Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivorship (JTWROS).
by SAMUEL B. LEDWITZ, J.D., LL.M. | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Estate Planning, Probate, Trusts
Every year, during our free 3-year reviews, without fail, we find that a few of our clients have inadvertently placed a piece of real estate in danger of going through Probate
by SAMUEL B. LEDWITZ, J.D., LL.M. | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Estate Planning, Probate
The DE-111 California Probate form is an important document that initiates the probate process in California. Probate is the legal process in which a court supervises the distribution of a deceased person’s assets to their heirs.
