Category Archives: Estates

Dorms, Leases, and Liability: College Estate Planning

College Estate Plan

What Parents Should Know Before Their Child Leaves for College The dorm room is selected. The extra-long twin sheets are packed. The laptop is ready, and a car filled with everything a college student could possibly need will soon pull away from home. Amid all the excitement surrounding college move-in day, parents may sign another […]

The Invisible Estate

Headless invisible businessman with abstract glasses standing on gray wall background. Business and secret concept SSUCv3H4sIAAAAAAAACpyRz27DIAzG75P2DhHnRqJN0iR7lWoHB9wElUAFpNNU9d3Hn1Bx3g3/bH/2Z56fH1VFJrCCka/qGSIfCyk36ww4oZXH9LBzg4qjKcnDNGdaAuTCaSNAlnACxxYFK3qoNikDfsUksQ7cZtGG6Tti4HD2Ggm+JdKKlxRXORGTvsOnCDkUzG5TZBkl8X91psd3dgMzKvYbFy6MGJQIycgllZLbj0OzltZg40IXrh6agQwFTaF0N4IJNRdt2i3x7LmN6U05E1Z4b06k1neYZDjx1Wti5gtY68t55sUg5j9Zr8UcpV00sKsS7n8ihMfmNPbd2Pbt2PcDbWm3F6TfW4TXietkIR+zm+CldRE2IJzyYaBI6yseoW5pT+sJxrY+D9D1Y3NqppH7w7/+AAAA//8DAFtvAFOYAgAA

Don’t Let Your Loyalty Points Die With You: Invisible Estate Airline miles, hotel points, credit card rewards, gift cards, and travel credits can quietly accumulate for years. A frequent traveler may have enough miles for an international flight, while a credit card account could hold hundreds or even thousands of dollars in unused rewards. Yet […]

Gender Gap in Estate Planning

Gender pay gap, inequality between man and woman wage, salary or income, issue about gender diversification concept, businessman standing on much more paid money coins, woman on less small income coin

The Hidden Gender Gap in Estate Planning—and How to Close It Conversations about financial inequality often focus on the gender gap. A less visible—but equally important—issue continues to affect long-term financial security: the estate planning gap. Fewer than one-quarter of Americans maintain even a basic will. Within that already low percentage, men complete estate planning […]

Protect Your Spouse in Estate Plans

Couple in love under an umbrella. Building a romantic relationship

Estate Planning Strategies to Protect Your Spouse In recent posts, we’ve discussed topics such as divorce and estate planning as well as disinheriting a spouse. This week, let’s focus on what you can do to protect your spouse in estate planning. Marriage legally positions you to provide long-term financial security for your spouse through legal […]

Unborn Child in An Estate Plan?

A woman hugs her man holding an x-ray of her unborn baby

Estate planning doesn’t just reflect what you have today—it anticipates what tomorrow might bring. For many in Glendora and Upland, this means preparing for the unexpected: incapacity, sudden illness, or death. For parents and parents-to-be, the question of whether to include future children in an estate plan often surfaces. Does planning for a child who […]

Life Estate Versus Right of Occupancy Trust

An abstract illustration showing glowing houses arranged in a network.

Planning for the future complicates life. This is especially true if you want to make sure that a loved one continues living comfortably after you die. Two common tools for accomplishing this are life estates and right of occupancy trusts. A life estate grants someone the legal right to live in a home for the rest of their […]

Celebrity Estates: James Earl Jones

SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO, ITALY. DECEMBER 5, 2014. Darth Vader helmet replica . Darth Vader or Dart Fener is a fictional character of Star Wars saga. Studio lights.

These words, uttered by James Earl Jones in his voice-over role as Darth Vader, are indelible in the minds of Star Wars fans. People know Jones also for voicing Mufasa in The Lion King and a series of cable news promotions in which he declared, “This is CNN.” 

Don’t Let Your Estate Plan Go Up in Smoke

As we get older, it is inevitable that we become more aware of our mortality. Reflections on life and death do not necessarily have to be morbid. They can also prompt us to take actions that focus on our legacy. Caring.com found that, in 2024, 43 percent of adults over age 55 have wills—down from 46 percent in 2023 and 48 percent in 2020

Pet Estates

Group of cute pets on white background. Banner design

One option to financially provide for your pet is to give a lump sum to the person you choose to care for your pet at your death. This option is the easiest to carry out and does not involve any ongoing administration or oversight. However, because the money goes directly to the caregiver, there will be no one monitoring the use of the funds. You must trust that the caregiver will use the funds for the pet’s benefit.