Erika Copenhaver

Many estates in California must pass through the probate process before the estate assets and property are transferred to the heirs or beneficiaries of the deceased person. The probate process can be a lengthy one, often lasting for a year or more. It can also become...

The term probate is one that comes up often in the course of estate planning. Probate refers to the court proceedings and process in which a person’s estate is settled. In many cases, when a person dies, their estate must pass through probate in order for their assets...

Trusts can be a useful tool for comprehensive estate planning. Typically, if you opt to use just a will for your estate planning, the will must pass through probate before distributions can be made to beneficiaries. Probate involves court proceedings and can be...

Hiring an estate planning attorney is an excellent way to get the peace of mind of knowing that your future finances are taken care of. It can be stressful going through life, not having a plan for the future. An estate planning attorney is there to help you prepare...

Estate planning is used as a way to ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes when you pass away. It is also a useful tool for planning ahead to manage your assets and healthcare wishes during your lifetime. An estate planning attorney can help...

As you get ready to prepare your estate plans, you must first have an idea of what you need to accomplish. Before getting started, you should take the time to identify your estate planning goals. With these goals in mind, you can move forward with each step of your...

Trusts are a common tool used in estate planning to help avoid probate, among other benefits. If you are considering including a trust in your estate plans, or if you are the beneficiary of a trust, you may be wondering about the trust administration process. One...

Having a will is an important part of any estate plan. For some people, creating a will may be the only estate planning they need to do. For others, it is the cornerstone of their estate plans, which may also include trusts, among other things. Since it is such an...