Southern California Estate Planning Attorneys

Estate Planning

Southern California attorneys at the Law Offices of Scott D. Hughes can assist you in preparing your estate plan, which may include a will, living trust, and/or other necessary written instruments. Preparing an estate plan is an unselfish act to assist your loved ones regarding your personal property and assets upon your incapacitation or death. If you would like to discuss options regarding your estate, please contact us for a free consultation at (714) 987-2671.

Probate

Probate is the process of authenticating a person's will and distributing their estate upon death. If a person dies without a will, their estate is distributed pursuant to the rules of probate. Probate can be a costly and timely process as it takes place in the courts.

Wills

A will is an instrument used to transfer property and assets and is operative upon death. A person may transfer their separate property using a will. A married person may transfer their one-half of community property that belongs to them using a will. There are certain rules that must be followed in order for a will to be valid. Attorneys at the Law Offices of Scott D. Hughes can assist you in determining whether a will is appropriate for you.

Revocable Living Trusts

Generally, estates valued over a certain amount must pass through probate after a person dies. A revocable living trust is a legal arrangement that allows property and assets to pass without the probate process. There are many advantages to avoiding probate. One such advantage is increased privacy. Since probate occurs in the court system, probate documents are filed with the court and become public record. Another advantage is saving fees related to hiring a probate attorney and other filing costs. Attorneys at the Law Offices of Scott D. Hughes can assist you in determining whether a revocable living trust is appropriate for you.