You Have An Estate? You’ll Definitely Need an Estate Planning

Sara Harley
Estates, Trusts and Probate Attorney
3 min readSep 1, 2016

You have an estate. No matter how limited (or unlimited) your money or properties may be, and it does not matter if you own a luxury apartment of a single home.

Rich or Poor, when you die, you leave behind your valuable possessions. For some, this means land, money, a house, investment portfolio, and more. For others, it could be a few dollars in their wallet and the trendy clothes on their back. Either way, what you leave behind for your family or children when you die is known to be your ‘estate’.

Your certain death is naturally not on your mind too often, but it is still a matter you should think about strong enough to get your estate planned. Doing everything in order ensures that your life is planned so your family can see what you have, what you want to happen when you’re gone, and how to handle a variety of financial and emotional situations.

“But, you might be wondering: Do I need an estate planning?” Let’s think twice about it. If the estate is small, should you still do estate planning? Well, even if you’re just leaving a small piece of land, who will get it? Do you have a spouse or children? Should my estate go to my spouse, children, or you want split your possessions between them? If you’re unable to take a prudent decision, you could possibly be leaving behind a legal battle. This is what all planning a estate is all about — deciding how you want your estate to be distributed when you die.

Do You Want To Create An Estate Plan?

If you don’t do estate planning, your loved ones could face major legal problems and (possibly) bitter disputes. Your plan could include power of attorney, wills and trusts, a living will, a pre or post-nuptial agreement, disability insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, and more. So, it is recommended to hire an estate planning attorney in Long Beach to assist you in drafting legal documents.

Now, you must be wondering: How to find a reputable estate planning lawyer in Long Beach? When you begin your hunt, first narrow it down to the type of case you’re dealing with.

  • Ask your friends, family members or relatives if they have the recommendation to make.
    • Call your local bar association.
    • Search online; or
    • Contact your insurance company

Here’s how you can choose a reputable estate planning attorney, probate attorney, or conservatorship attorney in Long Beach.

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