Estate Planning Firm in Walnut Creek

Serving Contra Costa County, Alameda County, and Throughout the Bay Area

A comprehensive estate plan is the foundation upon which your financial future is built. It should not be some cookie-cutter piece of paper or fillable form but rather a carefully crafted document custom-built for your precise needs and goals with sound advice and professional assistance from an experienced estate planning lawyer serving the Bay Area.

At Feldman Law Group, we can help you establish unique plans for the following and more:

• Wills
• Trusts
• Advance Directives
• Special Needs & Long-Term Care

For more than 35 years, Attorney Aaron Feldman has helped individuals and their families accomplish their unique estate planning goals. Every individual can benefit from quality estate planning. Feldman Law Group crafts the right set of wills, trusts, and advance directives that meet your specific goals and desires. 

Because life is dynamic and plans change, our estate planning services come with a free review every three years.

Documents Needed for an Estate Plan in California

Estate planning is considered to be the process of arranging the transfer of your estate and assets.

In order to create an estate plan you will need to prepare the following documents:

• Will
• Trust
• Medical Instructions
• Power of Attorney
• Beneficiary Forms
• Life Insurance Policy Statements

With the help of our estate planning attorneys at Feldman Law Group we will make sure nothing is left to chance after your passing. It is never too early to consider your future. Call our estate planning lawyers serving the Bay Area today to discuss your estate plan!

If you need help creating a new estate plan or making adjustments to an existing one, contact Feldman Law Group online or call (925) 208-4543 for assistance. 

Benefits of Having an Estate Plan

Estate planning can help you and your family prepare for the future. It provides multiple benefits. It is never too early to start planning.

The benefits of estate planning include the following:

• Accommodate your loved ones
• Ensure your children are taken care of
• Decrease your expenses
• Immediately administer your property
• Smooth retirement
• Arrange for incapacity
• Avoid the probate process
• Protect your assets

An estate plan will ensure that you and your family are provided for and give you peace of mind. The experienced attorneys in the Bay Area at Feldman Law Group are here to help guide you through the process and ensure nothing is left to chance. Call us today for a consultation.

Wills: An Essential For Every Estate 

Every estate plan in Alameda County should have a will to:

• Appoint a guardian for minor children if needed
• Name an executor for the estate
• Leave a legacy to future generations
• Ensure that all the property that belongs to your estate is distributed according to your wishes – even if you are disposing of your property through one or more trust instruments

From the simple to the complex, we’ll draft the will that meets your needs in a manner you can count on to be valid and enforceable in the California probate courts.

Avoid Probate by Forming a Trust

Placing assets into a trust avoids the expense and delay of probate. A $1 million estate will cost as much as $50,000 to probate and can take much longer than a year before the assets are distributed. 

Feldman Law Group can establish a revocable living trust that avoids or minimizes probate while giving you the capacity to manage assets and distribute them appropriately. We can also advise and assist you regarding a variety of irrevocable trusts or other instruments to address other special needs you may have.

Advance Directives Can Remove Difficult Guesswork

It is important to have a Health Care Directive so your final wishes are honored if a decision has to be made about continuing care and what measures you want taken if you are too ill to express your wishes to your doctors. It is also important to have a general power of attorney that becomes effective if you ever become incapacitated. This will allow your agent to sign important papers for you regarding legal and financial affairs as well as medical matters.

Suppose you don’t have the proper documents in place. In that case, decisions will be made on your behalf by people you don’t know and who don’t know you or by anguished family members who may not know what you would want or who disagree over how to proceed. Making decisions in advance or tasking trusted individuals with decision-making authority spares your loved ones from emotional pain and anguish at a difficult time and helps ensure that decisions are made following your wishes.

How Can an Attorney Help With Your Estate Plan?

First and foremost, an attorney helps you assess your unique financial situation, taking into account your assets, liabilities, and long-term goals. This initial consultation serves as the foundation for tailoring an estate plan that aligns with your specific needs. Attorneys have a deep understanding of the legal nuances surrounding wills, trusts, and other estate planning instruments, enabling them to customize solutions that maximize the protection and distribution of your assets.

One of the attorney's primary responsibilities is to draft legally sound and enforceable documents that accurately reflect your intentions. From wills outlining the distribution of your assets to establishing trusts for the benefit of your heirs, an attorney ensures that your estate plan complies with relevant laws and regulations.

Moreover, an attorney helps navigate potential tax implications, identifying strategies to minimize tax burdens on your estate. This proactive approach can lead to substantial savings for your beneficiaries in the long run.

As laws evolve, an attorney keeps up to date with any changes that may impact your estate plan, providing timely updates and recommending adjustments when necessary. In times of family transitions, having a knowledgeable attorney by your side becomes invaluable, as they can offer guidance and resolve issues to safeguard your legacy.

For skilled, professional estate planning services and an experienced Bay Area estate planning lawyer who will work directly with you throughout the entire process, contact Feldman Law Group by calling (925) 208-4543 today!