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Burden Alert! Your score indicates you are at high risk of creating serious burdens for your loved ones.
If you answered "No Will" . . . A Will is simpler and less expensive to create than a Trust. It allows you to designate guardians for minor children and outline your final wishes for property distribution.Living Trusts are great because they keep your estate out of Probate Court. You'll want to avoid probate because it's...well...a hassle! It means your loved ones have to file papers with the Probate Court, and go through an expensive, drawn out process to close your estate and finalize the distributions of your assets. In a Will, you can name someone to manage your estate (executor) and to appoint guardians for your minor children. If your estate is small (less than $184,500 in total value, as of 2024), you may not need a Trust because estates below this threshold can avoid probate with simplified procedures in California. This is where a Will is a good option... it's better than nothing.It's time to do SOMETHING - you don't want to leave the burden of probate, confusion, lack of clarity for your family!If you answered "No Trust" . . . Unless your total assets are less than $184,000, without a Trust, you're swinging in the breeze. You want to make sure your loved ones are taken care of in your absence - but you can't make that happen without a Trust. The Living Trust provides a roadmap for how the needs of your spouse/partner will be met in your absence. A Trust also clearly states what assets will go to other family members, when and sets conditions for the distribution of those assets. And then there's probate - don't let the government decide your estate!This is smart planning for the handling of all your hard-earned assts. And assets inside certain types of trusts are much harder (if not impossible) for others to get at through lawsuits or other liability claims.It's time to level up and lock it down.If you haven't updated your Will or Trust . . . You have a Will or Trust, but there've been big changes in your life that aren't reflected in the Will or Trust. Get those important assets in that Trust so they aren't exposed to distribution through the expensive Probate Court process!Update your beneficiaries so those who have fallen out of favor with you no longer stand to benefit if you pass away. Make sure your Trust isn't an old one created with a now-former spouse...do you really want your ex in charge? Let's get that Will or Trust dusted off, updated and performing like it's supposed to!Without Business and Financial Powers of Attorney - you're leaving your partners and loved ones in chaos.What happens if you become temporarily or permanently unable to make financial decisions or pay your bills? Without a Business and Financial Power of Attorney, this scenario can quickly spiral into stress and confusion for your loved ones. Who do you trust to take charge of the purse strings? Without this crucial document, control over your finances could default to someone you’d never choose—like an estranged spouse or an irresponsible adult child. This simple yet powerful step protects your assets, ensures your wishes are followed, and prevents unnecessary turmoil during challenging times.If you don't have a Medical Power of Attorney...So...what happens if you are temporarily or permanently unable to care for yourself or make your own healthcare decisions? You don't have anything in place right now - this is a recipe for stress and confusion for your loved ones. Let's get an advance healthcare directive (AHD) in place now, so if you are in a bad way, you've left clear instructions on what you want to happen and who makes those decisions. With an AHD, you tell future physicians when to keep you on life support, what kind of treatments you want or don't want, and what kind of facility or home care environment you want for your care. Oh...and if you're recently divorced or about to be, is your ex currently in the driver's seat with your healthcare decisions? (Gulp...)Disclaimer: The information presented here is not intended to be legal advice. It's for informational and entertainment purposes only. For legal advice, call a great lawyer. Whether you call Sapere Law or someone else, legal advice happens when the lawyer is given the opportunity to hear your specific situation and give you advice based on your unique facts.
