WHAT IS ESTATE PLANNING?
Estate planning is planning for the future, after your death. We help you plan for all your property to be legally transferred to your beneficiaries. It may include items such as houses, land, cars, jewelry, retirement savings, investments, and bank accounts.
The objectives and goals of estate planning include:
• Reducing the tax burden of your estate.
• Ensuring your estate goes to your specified beneficiaries.
• Designating guardians if minor children are involved.
Estate Plan
When the Estate Planning Legal Center, APC, formulates an estate plan for you, the documents below are included in the Customized Estate Plan we offer.
• Revocable Living Trust
• Certificate of Trust
• Last Will and Testament
• Durable Power of Attorney
• Advance Health Care Directive
• HIPAA (Authorization & Disclosure Form)
• Assignment of Personal Property to Trust
• Comprehensive Transfer Document
• Trust Transfer Grant Deed(s)
• Estate Planning Portfolio Binder
• Billfold Cards
• Funding Letters
• Witness Service
• Notary Service
• Recording Service & Recording Fee
On the Key Trust Terms section of our website, you’ll find a list of items with an explanation of each, which are an important part of planning your estate.
Our goal at the Estate Planning Legal Center, APC, is to offer professional estate planning services at a reasonable price and work with you to prepare all the necessary documents.
We understand that enlisting the services of a professional estate planner in California can be emotional, scary, and intimidating. Our philosophy is to make our clients feel comfortable with the process, to explain in full all services we provide and our fees, and help them to understand the importance of estate planning. We’re here to protect your interests and help you plan for a future when you are no longer here.
Out of Office Services – We Can Come to You
In today’s busy world, we understand that not everyone can attend meetings at our office. With this in mind, we offer mobile service to your home, office, or other location of your choosing.
We want to ensure that our clients understand all the documents involved with estate planning, and that we are always available for your questions. When time is of the essence, we can have your estate planning documents ready within two weeks of meeting with you. You will be kept up-to-date every step of the way, and we are available in case further input is needed.
Trustee and Fiduciary Services
As a professional estate planner, I’ve realized that many clients do not have close friends or family who are in a position to act as a trustee, conservator, or executor of their affairs. There may be a number of reasons for this, and we can offer you other options.
Trust departments in banking institutions are one option for you to consider, although they often require that the estate be over $1,000,000.00 to be considered, and that the estate will not be subject to any litigation or disputes while under their administration.
This option may also prove to be impersonal and expensive. For these reasons, and because many clients asked us to serve as their trustee, executor, or conservator, we decided to offer these services. We do not charge rates that would normally be paid to a trustee, conservator, or executor, but instead use a rate scale that a professional fiduciary would charge. These are less expensive and are not professional attorney rates.
I’m proud that most of our new clients have been referred to us by former clients. If you or someone you know needs assistance with their estate planning needs, we’d be honored to assist them.
Areas We Serve
We serve the following San Diego County communities:
- Tierrasanta,
- Hidden Meadows,
- Kearny Mesa,
- Mira Mesa,
- Downtown,
- Del Mar,
- La Jolla,
- Bay Park,
- Clairemont,
- Rancho Bernardo,
- Poway,
- San Marcos,
- Escondido,
- Rancho Penasquitos,
- National City,
- Chula Vista,
- Allied Gardens,
- La Mesa,
- El Cajon,
- La Costa,
- Carlsbad,
- Encinitas,
- Rancho San Diego,
- Serra Mesa,
- Mission Beach,
- Pacific Beach
- smaller towns in between and down to the border,
- Orange County and upwards through the “valley” in Los Angeles.