Law Offices of Matthew Hart

Estate Planning for Coronavirus (COVID-19): New York Times best-selling author Gretchin Rubin offers this Secret of Adulthood: Something that can be done at any time is often done at no time. Estate planning often falls into this category. My office aims to bring peace of mind through estate planning. Despite my best efforts to inform the public about the importance of preparing your estate plans before emergency strikes, many people still falsely assume that they have time to get it done. Whether it’s a form of denial, a symptom of fear, or a side-effect of anxiety, many people believe they’re too young to worry about estate planning because they are healthy and have no underlying medical conditions. Learn More: https://matthewhartlaw.com/estate-planning-for-coronavirus/

When discussing the AHD with my clients, there are some common questions, concerns, and misconceptions about the AHD that I would like to address in this post. Learn More Here: http://matthewhartlaw.com/common-questions-about-the-advan/

At the beginning of each year, many people consider resolutions and bucket lists in hopes of achieving new levels of success in a variety of areas in their lives. Common goals include breaking a bad habit or gaining a good one, reducing stress, getting more sleep, reading more books, making healthier choices, taking more trips, and tackling big projects. Some people choose theme words to help guide their year, while others will make a list of things they hope to achieve. Others consider new year resolutions arbitrary, and don’t set any goals at the new year, but may set goals to coincide with milestone birthdays or big life events. But what is the best way to achieve them? Click to learn more:http://matthewhartlaw.com/making-smart-goals-what-have-you/

While you are healthy, consider asking yourself who you would want to make important health decisions for you, should the need arise. People often assume it is obvious who should make these decisions for them usually, their spouse or their children. This may be true, but if it is not specified in writing, things can get messy. What if you and your spouse are both incapacitated in a car accident at the same time? Learn More:http://matthewhartlaw.com/an-intro-to-the-advance-healthca/

Most people who ask this question have recently lost a loved one who died without any estate planning documents in place. This can be a confusing time, made worse by the emotional strain of losing someone you love. Luckily for you, an attorney who is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law can help you handle the legal aspects of your situation. Someone who dies without a will is said to have died intestate and their estate will be subject to probate. The California Probate Code dictates... Learn More: http://matthewhartlaw.com/how-do-i-become-executor-of-an-e/

One of the most common situations I encounter in my law office are clients whose loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Early signs of dementia and Alzheimer’s are quickly written off as just getting old or go entirely unnoticed because these diseases can progress so slowly. If your loved one has received a diagnosis of early-onset dementia or Alzheimer’s, it may not be too late to implement an estate plan....Learn More: http://matthewhartlaw.com/has-the-ship-sailed/

Top 10 Things Not to Do When Someone Dies: Often, when a person dies, there will be one person who steps up to handle everything. Sometimes this is a spouse, a parent, a child, a close friend, a grandchild, or some other relative. Maybe you’ve just lost someone you love, and you’re the person who has stepped up to handle everything. Maybe you’ve just lost someone you love, and you are not the person who is handling everything, but you want to help Learn More: http://matthewhartlaw.com/top-10-things-not-to-do-when-som/

So, you’ve had a loved one pass away and you’re not sure who will inherit their estate, assets, and belongings? Or, you’re curious who would inherit your stuff if you (or someone you love) died suddenly without an estate plan in place? You are not the first person to wonder about this. It’s actually such a common question that the State has a set of complicated laws of intestate succession in their probate code. Learn More:http://matthewhartlaw.com/next-of-kin-who-inherits-if-ther/

How Do I Get a Trust for my Parents? It is wonderful that you want your parents to have a trust. A trust is one of the best ways a parent can ensure that their spouse, children and loved ones are cared for after their death. As a well-intentioned child, it may be difficult for you to hear that ultimately, only your parents can implement a trust for themselves. If your parents are resistant to To Read More: http://matthewhartlaw.com/how-do-i-get-a-trust-for-my-pare/

In your lifetime, you will deal with the loss of a loved one. It is probable that, at some point in your life, you will be responsible for the funeral arrangements and estate management for a deceased loved one. Most commonly, that person is your mother, father, or grandparent, but it could be your brother or sister, an aunt or uncle, or your adult son or daughter. In any of these cases, dealing with To Read More: http://matthewhartlaw.com/my-relative-died-now-what/

In my last blog post, I uncovered the need to plan for an unforeseen loss of capacity resulting from an accident or illness. Regarding financial matters, the main tool to combat the many problems incapacity can bring is called a General Durable Power of Attorney (aka DPA). The DPA is a critical document every adult, young or old, should have in place. In a nutshell, it determines who can sign financial documents To Read More: http://matthewhartlaw.com/how-do-i-give-power-a-deeper-div/

Adults of all ages often ask me why they need to meet with an Estate Planning Attorney. The quick answer is simple: to prepare for those likely and inevitable phases in life when you cannot control your money or health decisions. Often, the reality of this answer is dismissed because people are afraid to confront the hard truth that these phases could happen at any time in your life. The first phase is the loss of To Read More: http://matthewhartlaw.com/why-do-i-need-estate-planning/

When people typically think of Estate Planning, they think of death, taxes and other inevitable situations. Surprisingly, they rarely consider what would happen if they lost capacity. Imagine a husband and wife who own a house and have 2.5 children. In this scenario, both the husband and wife signed on the dotted line for the loan to buy the house. Life seems to be chugging along perfectly, when the husband To read more: http://matthewhartlaw.com/when-would-i-need-a-durable-powe/