Estate Planning

A recent survey found that more than half of all Americans do not have a will. Three in five Americans do not have a power of attorney for health care naming an agent to act if he or she becomes incapacitated. The survey reports a major reason for people not having an estate plan is their unwillingness to think about death or incapacity. One in four people say they do not have an estate plan because they do not believe they have sufficient assets.

The reality is that almost everyone dies leaving some assets. If you don’t have an estate plan, California law determines how your estate will be distributed to your family, and that may not reflect your individual wishes. Without an estate plan in place, friends, non-registered domestic partners, and your favorite charities will receive nothing. According to the survey, another reason people do not have an estate plan is because they do not know who to talk to or how to begin. At Jakle, Alexander & Patton, LLP, we will advise and assist you to create an individually tailored estate plan to benefit you during your lifetime and to provide for distribution of your assets at death. There is no “one size fits all” estate plan.

Estate Plan Package

Your estate plan needs to be flexible, something you can adapt as tax laws, investment opportunities, and your own personal circumstances change. A typical estate plan package consists of the following documents:

Living Trust
Certification of Trust
Pour-Over Will
Last Will & Testament
Grant and Assignment to Trust
Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information (HIPAA)
Advance Health Care Directive
Power of Attorney for Assets

Other Estate Planning Services

A common misconception is that estate planning only involves the distribution of your assets at your death. Jakle, Alexander & Patton, LLP offers the following estate planning services to benefit you during your lifetime: