Santa Clarita Estate Planning Attorney
Helping Clients Create a "Legal Toolbox"
Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones
Law Office of Robert Mansour
Estate Planning | Wills & Living Trusts
Serving Santa Clarita and surrounding communities.
Providing Our Clients with Peace of Mind
Estate planning involves assessing the client's needs and developing a plan that implements legal tools required to protect the client and the client's family. Some clients think estate planning is only for the wealthy. That is a big mistake.
Did you ever wonder how the wealthy stay wealthy? They use the very same legal tools available to average folks. The trouble is many people don't understand the value of using these tools to make sure they are protected.
There are many estate planning tools available. In some cases, a basic Last Will & Testament may be necessary. In other cases, a living trust is appropriate. Other common estate planning tools include the Durable Power of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directives, HIPAA Authorizations, Community/Separate property agreements, business assignments, and much more. Also, within each tool, there are variations to consider. There is no "one size fits all" plan despite what you may have heard. Our goal is that our clients not only "have" an estate plan but they understand their estate plan.
Please call for a consultation. You will feel great once your legal affairs are in order. We help clients in Santa Clarita, CA and its communities of Saugus, Canyon Country, Newhall, Valencia, Castaic and Stevenson Ranch. We also serve clients all over California.
Common Questions
What is a living trust?
A living trust is essentially a contract in which you outline what happens with your assets: who is in charge of them, who receives them when you pass away, and who steps in if you become incapacitated. Anything titled in the name of the trust is governed by its terms. You do not need to be wealthy to have one. Read more
Do I need a will if I have a living trust?
Yes. A "pour over" will serves as a back-up to the trust. If an asset was never put in the name of the trust, probate may be necessary, and the will directs those assets into the trust. Read more
What does it mean to "fund" a living trust?
Funding means changing title on your assets so they are held in the name of the trust. If an asset is not titled in the trust, the trust does not govern it. Failure to fund the trust is one of the biggest reasons living trusts fail. Read more
What happens if I die without a will in California?
California law supplies a plan called intestate succession, which sets who inherits depending on your surviving family. In most cases the assets must go through the probate court. Read more
What does a durable power of attorney do?
It allows a person you name, called your agent or attorney in fact, to act for you in a variety of situations. It should clearly spell out what the agent may do, and it expires when you die. Read more
How often should I review my estate plan?
An estate plan is not something to create and forget. Revisit it after a major life change, such as the birth of a child, a divorce or a new marriage, and periodically as the law changes. Read more
Resources
Serving Santa Clarita and surrounding communities
We also serve clients all over California.