Blog

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Understanding the Role of a Conservator

A conservatorship is a legal concept in which the financial affairs of an incapacitated person, or even the regular affairs of their daily life, are overseen by someone else. That other person is called a “conservator” and has to be appointed by a judge. Within a conservatorship, the incapacitated person is referred to as a “conservatee” or a “ward.”

Fri Jul 26 2024

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5 Things to Know About Incapacity Planning

One of the best ways to keep your business and family in order is to make sure you’re ready for the unexpected. Estate planning is a guide to ensure your hard work is left in the right hands after you’re gone, but it also serves as an important tool for when you’re incapacitated and unable to handle everything on your own. We want to make sure you’re prepared for everything.

Mon Jul 15 2024

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3 Reasons to Create your Estate Plan Right Away

At Solan, Park & Robello, we get it. We know that Estate Planning might not sound like the most exciting thing in the world. Estate Planning, after all, is the process of working with an attorney to create a legally-binding plan for what will happen to your property and belongings (known as your estate) and your remaining money (known as your assets) after you pass away. Even when you’ve realized that it’s not just for the rich and famous, it might get put on the back burner.

Wed Jul 10 2024

three hot air ballons

Choosing Your Executor: Three Alternative Options

When you create an estate plan, you choose an executor, also known as a personal representative, to name in your will. This person will be held responsible for several duties after you pass away. He or she will be in charge of taking the plan you made in your will and enacting it in the real world. They will make sure your estate’s debts and taxes get paid, will pass your assets on to your beneficiaries on your behalf (making sure it’s well-maintained until that’s possible), and will represent the interests of your estate in court.

Mon Jun 24 2024

person writing at a desk

When Should You Update Your Estate Plan?

Getting your estate plan in order is a huge task, so when you’re finished it can feel relieving and fulfilling. Congratulations on putting the important work in to protect your assets and secure the future of your hard work, but the work doesn’t stop there!

Wed Jun 12 2024

piggy bank

A Guide to Funding Your Living Trust

We’ve talked about the many types of trusts and how trusts avoid probate, but there’s one key caveat: your trust has to be fully funded in order to be exempt from the probate process. As a quick refresher, probate is a court-mandated process of sifting through the details and assets of an estate and legally distributing those assets.

Tue Jun 04 2024

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Where Does My Estate Go If I Don't Have Beneficiaries or Heirs?

When it comes to estate planning, most people leave their assets in the hands of their children and loved ones when they die. Not everyone decides to start a family (or, in some cases, children can predecease the estate).

Fri May 31 2024

Young adults working at a coffee shop.

All Young Adults Should Have These Legal Documents Signed

We all remember the feeling of turning 18. You have officially transitioned into adulthood with newfound freedoms accessible for us to bask in. There is often a sense of belonging to the wider world around you but with those new freedoms come new responsibilities.

Wed May 22 2024

elderly couple sitting on a bench by the beach

How Is Incapacity Determined In California?

California law defines incapacity as an inability to make decisions or perform certain acts when at least one of the mental functions referenced in CA Prob. Code § 810-13 (2017) is impaired or lacking.

Thu May 16 2024

Young woman embracing and elderly woman in a park

What is a Conservatorship?

Conservatorships have long been an important legal tool for families and individuals. While they’ve been around for far longer, the term has been popular in the media over the last few years with high-profile cases like Britney Spears catching attention.

Wed May 08 2024

Woman on the phone confused

How Are California Estate Disputes Settled

As California estate planning attorneys, the team at Solan, Park & Robello has seen it all. We stress the importance of crafting a thorough estate plan to prevent risk through the probate process.

Fri May 03 2024

Family discussing and taking notes at a table

Who Has the Right to Contest an Estate?

At Solan, Park & Robello, we constantly advocate for the importance of estate planning. All adults should have a plan for what will happen when they die or become incapacitated. Who will make important decisions in your place? Where will your assets go? Who will be in charge of ensuring your wishes are carried out? These are all questions that need answers sooner rather than later...

Fri Apr 26 2024

Happy adult granddaughter and senior grandmother having fun enjoying talk sit on sofa in modern living room

When Can a California Conservatorship Be Established or Terminated?

Conservatorships play an important role for families and individuals in California. These legal tools assign a conservator to manage the affairs of a minor or adult in need of such management...

Sun Oct 01 2023