his estate. He was not married and had no children. His estate is valued at less than $150,000. I need to get Letters
of Administration signed by a court in order to get his medical records. Thank you
My condolences for the loss of your son. You do not need to file for probate for that amount of money as it is below California's small estate affidavit limit of $166,250. You must wait 40 days following your son's death. If you contact the financial institution holding the money, they... Read more »
My wife died four years ago and the house is still held in both our names, no trust.
While you may not need to place your house in a revocable trust before you sell it, I would caution you that you likely should place the proceeds of the sale in a trust. As well, particularly as a widower with no children, it's extremely important that you have a health care directive and... Read more »
If you hold title with the owner as "joint tenants", no probate would be required. If title is held as tenants in common, half of the property would have to be probated.
However, adding an individual's name to real property is typically a very bad idea and has adverse... Read more »
1. My Ex-wife is living in Korea and will need to complete it there designating our son as her PoA representative. Can a notary at the US Embassy sign the form or does the notary have to be from California?
2. If she completes the form can a scanned and printed copy be used by my son to... Read more »
When an individual signs a US document in a foreign country that would typically require a notarization, they should seek the assistance of the local US Embassy who will provide the equivalent of a local notarization. Once that is completed, a good quality scan should be all that any institution... Read more »
My mom bought her house before she married my stepdad and then added him to the deed without right of survivorship 15 years after they were married. They were married for 25 years. My mom then died without a will. If my stepdad files a spousal property petition, could he be granted my share of my... Read more »
It would be helpful to have some additional information, including exactly how the deed adding your stepdad was titled, as well as how long they were married. Assuming you are the only child, you would be entitled to fifty percent of your Mom's separate property and that would have to be... Read more »
… I have an older sister that is a meth addict and her daughter also following in her footsteps. They both live with my parents that are from the age of 77 to 84. In the short, my sister and loser daughter are stealing money from my parents, blackmailing my dad and pressuring my dad to help them... Read more »
You should immediately call Adult Protective Services who will investigate. Your parents can file for an Elder Abuse Restraining Order and can likely have your sister and her daughter removed from the home. If your parents will not support that action, you may need to consider filing for... Read more »
'Nana' recently died quite suddenly, and unexpectedly. I am her only child, and I have two children. From the time that we discovered she had brain tumors, to when she died, was only one week. She was very confused and disorientated. During this week, my daughter got her to sign a P.O.A.,... Read more »
My condolences for the loss of your mother. You most likely do have recourse, but you should seek the assistance of a trust and estates litigator as soon as possible. Even if the quitclaim was valid, which likely it was not, that deed would have applied only to the home and not the contents or... Read more »
He used home for collateral then dide before pay it off .. the property is still in my grams name .. but I was sued for the loan he had wirh someone else now I have. Alien on my property.. he never put the property in his name it’s always been in my grandmas
If your grandmother's home is still in her name, and I'm assuming she is deceased, you must file for probate. It is the only way title to the property can pass to her heirs, typically children, then grandchildren. It's not clear when you say there's a lien on your property.... Read more »
My brother recently was nominated by the court as successor trustee after he filed a petition. The trust instructs that if the nominated trustee is deceased or unwilling a successor trustee will be nominated after receiving majority of the beneficiaries vote however the beneficiaries were not... Read more »
You need to have an attorney look at both the trust document and the petition your brother filed. You seem to raise valid objections to your brother's appointment as successor trustee. If you were properly served with your brother's petition, you would have had to file an objection to... Read more »
What forms do I file a petition with the Probate Department to remove a power of attorney based on financial elder abuse? I have already contacted APS and local police, they are telling me to request the courts for the POA to hand over financial records so the POA can be removed due to the abuse.... Read more »
Unfortunately, this situation will likely require a conservatorship, which is a court-monitored process that can and will revoke the Power of Attorney. If the older adult had a trust in place, it's possible that a conservatorship would not be necessary. Either way, please consult an elder... Read more »
The Amendment was done about 7 years after the original Trust by a different lawyer. It was a change to my beneficiaries. Now I want to reverse that. Do I need to see a lawyer or can I simply tear up the Amendment so that the original stands as is?
I agree with my colleague that you should do what is called a restatement of your original trust, particularly when there have been major changes in beneficiaries between the original and the amendment. Those beneficiaries in the amendment could otherwise try to make claims that the Amendment was... Read more »
If you have an elderly family member who gave his child power of attorney to assist them with their financial affairs and you discover the person who has power of attorney has stolen the elderly family members money. The thief also drew up a will a few years prior. Now that its discovered the... Read more »
You should contact an elder law attorney to immediately prepare and serve a revocation of the power of attorney. That attorney will also explore a possible financial elder abuse claim. I would not suggest you try to do the new power of attorney yourself as it's not likely the financial... Read more »
Husband died in 11/2020. Couple had a Rev Living Trust (AB Trust). I understand all estates will get a Step-up in basis as of spouse's death date.
If wife sells the house in 2021, can she get the Step-Up in basis rule for the entire house?
Someone was saying only the 50% (B... Read more »
Any part of the house funded into the B Trust will not get a step-up in basis. Depending upon many circumstances, many people are deciding they do not want a bypass trust, and often times, it is not necessary. You should speak to a trust administration attorney for more advice as it may be... Read more »
Will a ProBono Attorney, close my Estate after I pass. My total assets are under $14,000.00 year.
You need to take at least some minimum steps to make sure no estate administration is required. For every bank account, make sure you have designated a pay-on-death beneficiary and make sure that person knows they are the beneficiary. Following your death, that person can bring in a copy of your... Read more »
If the estate is less than $166,250, you can submit a Small Estate Affidavit. This is the form: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/Affidavit_personal_property.pdf
My attorney helped me filed a probate petition in Santa Barbara County, California. I am in the process to prepare a schedule of assets and debts for inventory and appraisal phase of the probate case. 1. Should I list non-probate assets such as my dad's 403(b) plan and his individual... Read more »
What struck me as unusual about your question is that you mention that you have an attorney, but it doesn't seem that you are receiving much guidance from him/her. I note that you are from Texas, so I'm wondering if perhaps an attorney friend there assisted you to file the Probate... Read more »
Onset of dementia. She wishes to protect her home, inherited from my grandparents. Who purchased it for her and I in 1972. In Ca can she legally exclude him from her will or trust? How would she go about this?
Your question crosses over into both family law and estate planning. Your mother's interest in that property would be her own separate property that she is typically allowed to pass to anyone she chooses. There are occasions, however, when the other spouse may gain a community property... Read more »
While it's possible the trustee may have the power to control the circumstances, timing, and amount of any trust distributions, it's not likely the trustee can change the provisions of the trust. There are times, for example, when a beneficiary may have a substance abuse issue. In those... Read more »
My father owns a house outright in California. I am the only child, and the house is in trust to be inherited down to me. My mother passed 2 years ago. If I in turn sell the house after my dad passes, do I get hit with capital gains tax?
When your mother passed two years ago, the property received a "step-up" in basis to market value at that time. When your father dies, the property will get a second step-up in basis to the then market value. This assumes the property was community property and that the trust did not... Read more »
He died about 10 years after and I was told (while he was alive) that in their trust he specified that I receive $350,000. I believe my two children are also named for $175,000 each. He has been gone about 2 years now and his wife will NOT talk about the trust. I do not have a copy of the trust... Read more »
I see you are in Glendale, AZ, but am assuming your father had resided in California. I'm answering your question based on California law. You have an absolute right to see a copy of the trust, even if somehow you were disinherited from it. An attorney would send a demand letter and if she... Read more »
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