Estate Planning Attorney in Pasadena

Safeguarding Your Future

Wills and estates are uncomfortable subjects, however, effective preparation at this time ensures the administration of your estate will run smoothly following your passing. It's your only guarantee that your property will be distributed according to your wishes in a timely manner.

Our Pasadena estate planning attorneys can help you create an estate plan that's perfectly tailored to your wishes. As your circumstances change over the years, we will regularly review your estate plans to ensure they're up-to-date and meet your current needs. We can help your family avoid a protracted and frustrating probate process where asset distribution, tax issues, and other considerations are in the hands of a probate judge who won't necessarily put your family's best interests first.

Customized Planning: A Schweitzer Advantage

We've worked with all types of individuals and families in planning for the future. Employing a client-focused strategy, we'll evaluate your particular circumstances to create the ideal plan for you. We take a personal approach to these matters and we pride ourselves on our professionalism. We are detail-oriented and committed to upholding our fiduciary duties throughout the process.

Trust Schweitzer Law Partners for all your estate planning needs. We are AV^® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell^® and have been featured in the 2009–2012 editions of Pasadena Magazine's Top Attorneys.

Contact us today for a no-obligation consultation with our Pasadena estate planning lawyers. The sooner it's handled, the sooner you can protect your family's financial future.

Estate Planning Cases We Handle

When it comes to estate planning, the first and most important thing an individual can do to prepare for the future is to draft a detailed and comprehensive will or trust. Wills are often enough for individuals who have a smaller estate. All that is necessary is to designate who they want to leave their estate to and to designate an estate administrator to distribute their property after their death. For individuals with larger estates, a living trust may be extremely beneficial.

• Living trusts allow the estate owner or "trustor" to place their estate under the responsibility of a trustee. This trustee will manage the estate while the trustor is living, as well as after they pass away or until the estate is distributed. A beneficiary could also be named who will come into the estate at a future date, such as when the trustor dies and/or when he or she turns 18. Living trusts are the only way to avoid probate and estate taxes, since the entire estate is passed into the hands of another individual.

Along with helping clients draft wills and trusts, estate planning attorneys in Pasadenaare also experienced in the following:

• Estate administration
• Trust administration
• Estate litigation

Our Pasadena estate planning attorneys are committed to upholding fiduciary duty – we will make sure that your estate is distributed according to the terms of your will or trust. We will also handle your estate to your greatest benefit or that of the beneficiary. Our team is also experienced and knowledgeable in probate law and can help you determine whether or not probate is right for you.

When Should You Start Estate Planning?

Although many young adults typically don’t consider estate planning a priority just yet, financial advisors recommend starting an estate plan as soon as you legally become an adult and updating it every three to five years after that.

There are also a few additional milestones that warrant making estate planning a priority:

• Starting a Savings Account - Once you’ve started a savings account, it’s important to decide where the money will go in case of your death.
• Buying a Home/Other Property - Planning your estate after purchasing a home is a way to avoid probate court proceedings.
• Marriage/Remarriage - Getting married is a good time to determine what happens to your assets in case one or both of you pass away.
• Traveling - It is recommended that you update your estate plan before big trips, especially if you travel for long periods of time or leave the country often.
• Having Your First Child and More - Once you start having children, it’s important to start thinking about their guardianship and financial security.
• Receiving an Inheritance - Update your estate plan to include any money or assets you inherit.
• Divorcing Your Spouse - It’s important to update any estate plans that were made with your former spouse.
• Having Grandchildren - You may want to make sure that any new family members are taken care of as well.

What Is the Difference Between a Will and Estate Planning?

Although both a will and an estate plan provide your relatives with guidance on handling your property after your death, estate planning goes more in-depth by outlining your wishes regarding your health, finances, and more, even while you are alive. A will is just one aspect of the entire estate plan.

Why Is Estate Planning so Important?

Estate planning has one purpose above all others, and that is to help you plan for your future. No one can be certain of what will happen to them in the next few years, next month, or even within the next few minutes. This is why it is in every person's best interest to take advantage of estate planning and make sure that their assets and property are arranged and prepared in the event of their death.

There are several ways estate planning can help you plan for the future.

• Primarily, it helps ensure your assets and property are distributed to the individuals or entities you want them to be given to after you pass away. These decisions will otherwise be made by a judge through the probate process, which may not match the desires you had when you were alive.
• Estate planning can also help you plan for the future benefit of your loved ones. Not only will you be able to designate who receives your property, but you will also be able to set up living trusts to benefit an individual in the far future, even after you have been gone for many years.

There are many reasons why planning your estate is important, including:

1. Protecting Your Beneficiaries - The main purpose of estate planning is designating heirs for your assets. If you don’t have an estate plan, the California court will decide who receives them, which could take a long time, cost a lot of money, and be an all-around stressful process for those involved.
2. Protecting Your Children - Your estate plan can designate a guardian for your children if both you and the other parent pass away before they reach the age of 18. If you don’t have an estate plan, the court will be responsible for deciding who raises your children.
3. Sparing Your Heirs from Tax Burdens - One benefit of creating an estate plan is that it transfers your assets to your heirs without putting a large tax burden on them. Without one in place, your heirs could owe the IRS a lot in taxes.
4. Avoiding Family Issues - If all of your wishes are planned out and legally binding in an estate plan, you can help your family avoid disagreements over who receives which assets and who is responsible for your finances and children.

Contact a Pasadena Estate Planning Lawyer Today

The Schweitzer Law Partners is more than capable of achieving the best possible results for your estate planning case in a quick and professional manner. We are Pasadena's premier law firm and are one of the most respected firms in Los Angeles County.

Our attorneys have been praised as approachable, welcoming, responsive, and compassionate and will go the extra mile to obtain a favorable outcome. Let us help you make an educated decision regarding estate planning by calling today for a consultation. By speaking with a Pasadena attorney from our firm, you will be able to get the answers you need to prepare your estate for the future.