Wills &
Trusts
250+FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
You want the best for your family. It’s the driving force behind everything you do. But you also know that one day you won’t be around to protect them. One day they’ll be on their own, and you want to ensure that, even then, they’ll know how much you loved and cared for them. Estate planning allows you to do just that.
An estate plan ensures that everything falls into place once you’re gone, reducing the chance of disagreements or financial issues down the road. Allow our estate planning lawyers to help you avoid those potential hurdles. We’ll help you pick which estate planning tools are best for your financial dynamic and work together to craft an estate plan that will leave everyone feeling secure. Book a planning session with a Corona estate planning attorney today to discuss your estate planning needs.
Your family is one of a kind, and your estate plans should reflect that. While many estate planning tools are at your disposal, you only need the ones that benefit you in the long run, which is why we cover various estate planning services. When the time comes, your family can move forward confidently.
Here are a few ways our family can help yours.
Drafting a will is a good starting point for estate planning if you don’t own very much or have dependants. This legal document outlines your wishes for your estate should you pass away. It is customizable to your specific situation and can include naming beneficiaries, designating guardians for your minor children, and assigning a trusted executor for your estate. But unfortunately, a will does not spare your family from having to go through a long and expensive court process known as probate when you pass away. That’s why a will is typically not a good solution for families who own a home or have more than just personal belongings.
Like wills, living trusts also name beneficiaries and identify who you want to be in charge of administering your estate if you pass away. However, a trust avoids that long and expensive court process known as probate, and allows you to transfer your assets upon your death privately and efficiently, and without court intervention.
Efficient tax planning keeps more money in your estate and, therefore, your family’s pocket. Why hand over your hard-earned money to the government when there are ways to reduce or eliminate your tax bill? We can keep you abreast of the most current and effective tax strategies for your specific financial situation and then help you shelter that wealth with a customized estate plan.
It’s not about what you have but what you keep. Even after doing all the right things—working hard, investing, planning—it could all be lost to litigation, divorce, probate, etc. Though it may seem unlikely, you must plan for the unthinkable. Wealth preservation and thorough asset protection allow you to keep what’s yours regardless of what happens.
Are you a caregiver for your aging parents? Are you worried about long-term care and medical expenses draining your hard-earned money? Costs are increasing every year, and a plan that maximizes resources like Medi-Cal and VA Benefits is a must. We can help you use various estate planning tools to ensure you don’t go broke paying for long-term care.
When you have a child with special needs, many variables must be considered for their future. Special needs planning ensures that—should something happen to you—your child will be cared for according to your wishes and receive the assets you set aside in special needs trusts without disqualifying your child from vital government benefits.
The true test of an estate plan is what happens when you’re no longer here—like whether or not your assets go through probate. Probate is the court-supervised process of settling your estate after death. It is an expensive, sometimes time-consuming process that can quickly drain your assets. But with thorough planning, you can avoid it.
Think about it—when you pass away, your family has a lot to worry about and plenty of things to handle when settling your final affairs… all while carrying the weight of grief on their shoulders. By creating a probate-proof estate plan, you give them one less thing to worry about and—once again—protect your family, even in your final moments.
Congratulations on taking the first step towards a better tomorrow for your family! Estate planning is, arguably, one of the most important personal decisions you’ll make for your loved ones. If you’re anything like us, you’re busy. You have responsibilities that keep your head on a swivel daily, making it easy to put off important decisions like these. And yet here you are, still taking the time to make a great choice today. Give yourself a pat on the back and then reach out to a Corona estate planning attorney at Meier Law Firm to put your plan in motion.
Our overall experience was one of satisfaction as well as a learning experience. The people at The Meier Law Firm are extremely knowledgeable within Family Trust planning. They did a good job of explaining each step of the process in a manner that we could understand. They were always punctual when meeting with us, and the meetings were always concise and comforting. They were also pleasant and friendly.
My brother had lost his living trust documents. Suddenly, we found out he has stage 4 cancer. We called Meier and they were able to put together an updated trust in less than a week. Everyone at the firm was wonderful and caring. Melanie was our attorney. If you are looking for a caring, honest law firm, Meier is the one for you!
Our experience with the Meier Law Firm was positive from our first meeting with Jessica, through the final product we received last week. Very professional yet personable. Every question was answered & suggestions made to simplify our Trusts. Their attention to detail gave us confidence in their work.
We were introduced to Meier Law Firm through a learning session at our daughter’s school district. We eventually decided to establish a family trust, as well as a special needs trust, through their firm. The team at Meier Law Firm were professional and incredibly responsive to our family’s needs. I highly recommend their legal services.
Just thinking about creating a trust or a will can be overwhelming. But Meier Law Firm makes it easy. They tell you what you need to know, ask all of the right questions, & provide great practical suggestions along the way that go far beyond the legal checklist. Highly recommend them for personal, professional service to deliver what you need in a timely manner.
Not only do they provide expert guidance; they will walk the journey with you step-by-step to help with your family trust. They execute at high levels, are very responsive, and deliver the optimal results within difficult situations. You definitely want Meier Law Group on your side of the table. I give my highest recommendation!
Here are some of the main ways we help our clients. Not sure where to start? Book your planning session.
Join a live webinar, register for an in-person event or invite Laura and Josh to speak at your company event.
In Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan, estate planning attorney and mother Laura Meier shows you the legal and practical steps you must take to protect your children from temporary foster care, courtrooms, loss of inheritance, and other turmoil most kids experience when their parents pass away.
“Laura Meier’s The Family Nest Egg gives parents the tools they need to find confidence, stop worrying, and secure the financial future for their loved ones. Laura’s real-life stories and actionable advice make this read a trustworthy resource for budgeting, investing, and preparing for a financial crisis.”
A trust allows you to avoid probate, customize and control how your wealth is distributed, and minimize some federal and state taxes. CA estate planning lawyers will tell you if a trust is right for you.
The probate court will choose what happens to your assets. They’ll appoint an administrator to take charge of your estate and have that person be responsible for dividing your assets among your family members. This is rarely ideal and could potentially lead to disputes and litigation over your estate. The cost of probate is extremely expensive in California.
A “pour-over” will works in conjunction with a trust. The pour-over will works like a safety net in case you forgot to retitle an asset in the name of your trust, or properly name a beneficiary through a designation form. If that happens, a pour-over will can direct a court to transfer in any assets not properly connected to your trust.
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