Estate Planning Lawyers in Sacramento, CA

Aiding You with Your Estate Plan

At Cava & Faulkner, our Sacramento estate planning lawyers are here to help you put together a plan that will protect your family and your assets. We understand that this can be a difficult process, which is why we will work with you every step of the way to ensure that your wishes are carried out.

Some of the ways we can help you with your estate plan include:

Living Wills

A living will is a document that outlines your wishes for medical care if you are unable to communicate them yourself. It can be very helpful to have this document in place, especially if you have specific desires about how you want to be treated in the event of a medical emergency.

There are different types of living wills, and you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Some people prefer to have a more general living will that covers all possible scenarios, while others prefer to have a living will that is more specific. You can also choose whether or not you want to include a healthcare power of attorney in your living will. If you decide to create a living will, it’s important to consult with an attorney so that your document is legal and binding. Be sure to update your living will if any of your personal information changes, and make sure that your loved ones know where to find it in case of an emergency.

Trusts

A trust is a legal arrangement where one person, known as the trustee, holds property for the benefit of another person, called the beneficiary. The trustee is responsible for managing the property and making sure it is used for the beneficiary’s benefit.

Trusts can be used for a variety of purposes, such as estate planning, tax planning, and asset protection. They can also be used to protect beneficiaries from creditors or predators.

There are a number of different types of trusts, but some of the most common are:

• Living trusts: A living trust is created while the creator is still alive. It allows the creator to retain control over the trust property while they are alive and allows them to appoint someone to manage the trust after they die.
• Testamentary trusts: A testamentary trust is created in a will and comes into effect after the creator dies. It allows the estate to be managed and distributed according to the creator’s wishes.
• Charitable trusts: A charitable trust is set up to support a charity or cause. The trustee manages the trust property and distributes it to the charity as needed.

Trusts can be a valuable tool for estate planning and asset protection. Contact us today to get started.

Incapacity Planning

Incapacity planning is an important part of estate planning. If you become incapacitated and can’t make decisions for yourself, it’s important to have a plan in place to ensure that your wishes are respected. A power of attorney allows someone you trust to make decisions on your behalf, while a living will spells out your wishes for medical care in the event you can’t speak for yourself.

If you don’t have a plan in place, your loved ones may have to petition the court to appoint a guardian or conservator to make decisions for you. This can be a costly and time-consuming process, and it may not be what you would have wanted. By taking the time to create an incapacity plan, you can avoid these problems and ensure that your wishes are carried out.

Power Of Attorney

When it comes to estate planning, one of the most important aspects is appointing a power of attorney. A power of attorney is a person who has been given legal authority to act on behalf of another person in certain legal matters. This can be incredibly helpful if you become incapacitated or unable to make decisions for yourself.

There are different types of power of attorney, and it’s important to choose the one that is right for your situation. If you want someone to be able to make financial decisions on your behalf, you would need a financial power of attorney. If you want someone to be able to make medical decisions for you, you would need a health care power of attorney. It’s important to choose someone you trust who will make decisions that align with your wishes. If you don’t have a power of attorney in place and become incapacitated, the court will appoint a guardian to make decisions for you. This can be a costly and time-consuming process, so it’s best to have a power of attorney in place ahead of time.

Health Care Directives

When it comes to estate planning, a critical component is creating health care directives. This document outlines your wishes for medical care if you are unable to make decisions yourself. There are a few key things to think about when creating your directives.

First, you’ll need to decide who will make decisions on your behalf if you can’t. This is usually a spouse, child, or other close relatives. You’ll also need to specify what kind of medical care you would want if you couldn’t speak for yourself. Some people choose to have life-support measures taken no matter what, while others prefer to have all measures stopped if they are in a permanent vegetative state. It’s important to review and update your directives regularly, as your wishes may change over time. Having a health care directive in place will ensure that your loved ones know what you would want in the event of a health crisis.

Trust Administration

When someone creates a trust, they appoint someone to be in charge of administering it – this is known as the trustee. The trustee’s job is to ensure that the trust is run according to the terms set out by the creator (grantor) and to make decisions about how the assets in the trust are used.

In some cases, the trustee may also be responsible for distributing the assets among the beneficiaries of the trust. This can be a complex process, especially if there are many beneficiaries involved. The trustee must ensure that all of the relevant laws and regulations are followed, and must also take into account any wishes that the creator of the trust may have had.

If you are appointed as trustee, it is important to remember that you have a duty to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries of the trust. This may require making difficult decisions, but it is important to remember that you are not acting for your own benefit – you are acting on behalf of others.

HIPAA Lawyer

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that sets rules for the handling of personal health information. The law applies to all healthcare providers, health plans, and healthcare clearinghouses. Under HIPAA, healthcare providers must take steps to protect the privacy of patients’ personal health information. This includes taking reasonable measures to protect information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.

Healthcare providers must also provide patients with a written Privacy Notice describing how their personal health information will be used and protected. Patients have the right to review their medical records and request changes to any information they believe is inaccurate or incomplete. If you are concerned about how your personal health information is being protected, and how it fits into your estate plan, you should speak to a HIPAA lawyer. A HIPAA lawyer can help you understand your rights under HIPAA and can advise you on what steps to take going forward.

Asset Protection

Asset protection is an important part of estate planning. You want to make sure that your assets are safe and secure, especially if you have a high net worth. There are a number of ways to protect your assets, including trusts, limited liability companies, and offshore accounts. One of the best ways to protect your assets is through a trust. A trust can help protect your assets from creditors and lawsuits. It can also help reduce your estate taxes. Another option is a limited liability company (LLC). An LLC can help protect your personal assets in the event of a lawsuit.

An asset protection lawyer can help you protect your assets from creditors and lawsuits. They can also help you set up trusts and LLCs to protect your assets. If you have a high net worth, or simply want to limit your liabilities, it is important to have an asset protection lawyer to help you protect your assets.

Estate Tax Planning

Estate tax planning is an important part of financial planning for any individual. The estate tax is a tax on the value of a person’s estate after they die. This tax can be quite costly, so it’s important to plan ahead to minimize the amount of taxes that are owed. There are a few things that you can do to help reduce the amount of estate tax that you will owe. One of the most important is to make sure that your estate is as small as possible. You can do this by minimizing the value of your assets and by taking advantage of tax-advantaged accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s.

You can also give away assets during your lifetime in order to reduce the size of your estate. This is known as gifting and there are limits to how much you can gift each year without paying taxes. However, if you give away assets before you die, those assets will not be subject to estate tax. Finally, you can also use trusts to help reduce your estate tax liability. Trusts are a legal arrangement where property is transferred to a trustee who manages it for the benefit of someone else. We can help you with cutting-edge strategies to minimize the estate tax impact on your estate.

Special Needs Planning

When it comes to estate planning, it’s important to consider all possible scenarios that could happen after you die. This includes ensuring that your loved ones will be taken care of in the event that you are no longer able to provide for them.

For families with a member who has a disability, special needs planning is essential. This involves creating a plan that will ensure the individual’s continued care and well-being, even if something happens to the primary caregiver. There are many things to consider when creating a special needs plan, such as:

• How will the individual’s expenses be paid for?
• What happens if the individual can no longer live independently?
• Who will be responsible for making decisions on the individual’s behalf?
• How will the family maintain communication and coordination between caregivers?

It’s important to consult with an experienced estate planning lawyer to make sure that your loved one’s specific needs are taken into account. With the right planning in place, you can rest assured knowing that they will be taken care of in the event of your death or incapacitation.

Contact Cava and Faulkner for Help with your Estate Planning Needs

To get the estate planning services you need, contact Cava & Faulkner today at 916-685-1225 and get started.