-by Kurt Rifbjerg, Esq. The global onset of COVID-19 may impact a person’s ability to execute a formal, comprehensive estate plan.    While our firm remains open and willing to help clients create and revise their estate plans as a legal necessity during these troubling times, we recognize that not everyone may be able to...Read More

The New York Times recently took the opportunity to highlight this question in an article based on the hotly litigated estate of French celebrity Johnny Hallyday. The Hallyday family is currently fighting over whether or not his estate should pass according to French probate law or California probate law. California allows freedom to distribute assets...Read More

Couples with young children typically set up revocable trusts with their children’s well being as the top priority. Most trusts plan for the potential scenario where both parents are gone, but at least one child or grandchild remains. A well crafted trust will also specify who a couple’s assets will go to if no children...Read More

Vanity Fair recently published a new article, “It is Not a Coincidence: With 75 million on the line, the Redstone Family declares Sumner incompetent.” If you’re unfamiliar, Sumner Redstone is the Hollywood Mogul billionaire at the helm of a media empire that includes CBS and Viacom. For the past several years, Sumner has been at...Read More

A favorite gimmick of estate planning articles today are based on numbers – “8 things to protect your assets,” “10 Steps to write your will“, “6 Reasons to update your Trust,” etc. My favorite read is “17 Reasons to Update your Will” – thank you San Francisco Symphony!  If this wasn’t the exact area of...Read More

The New York Times just published a question and answer in its “Social Q’s” section regarding the legal validity of an unsigned Will. Another recent article referenced a Will written in a draft text message. Naturally the text also remained unsigned. The text message was approved as a valid will by an Australian court. In...Read More

Conservatorship (called Guardianship for minors) becomes necessary in a variety of circumstances, most commonly due to a lack of mental capacity. When a Conservatorship is needed, someone must step in to fulfill the role of Conservator. A Conservator is charged with the (often difficult) task of caring for the well being of another. Acting as...Read More

An elder, as defined by California law, is a person who is 65 years or older. There are specific laws that are designed to protect this population group from abuse and neglect. And what qualifies as abuse? There is a wide range in what is considered to be abuse, from financial to physical and emotional,...Read More

Knowing when a conservatorship is necessary is complicated enough. When family members disagree about the care of a parent or relative, obtaining a conservatorship can become even more complex.  So, how do you know when you need a conservatorship – and what do you do if family members disagree?  As an attorney who specializes in...Read More