Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Estate Planning For Single Parents
Over the decades, the share of children in America living with a single parent has been rising. According to Pew Research Center, children in the U.S. are more likely than children elsewhere to live in single-parent households. According to the research center, almost a quarter of children in the United States under the age… Read More »
Do Personal Representatives Of Probate Estates Get Paid In California?
In most cases, Personal Representatives, also known as Executors and Administrators, are entitled to payment for their work. Serving as the Personal Representative of a deceased person’s probate estate is a time-consuming job. However, The Probate Guy makes it easy and much less time consuming by taking care of just about everything for you. … Read More »
Here’s Why You Need A California Estate Plan Even If You Don’t Have Children
One of the most prevalent misconceptions about estate planning is that estate planning is only crucial for couples and individuals with children. For most people, having a child is what makes them know that it’s time for estate planning. However, in reality, children should not be the sole indicator that you need an estate… Read More »
What Happens If An Estate Doesn’t Have Enough Money To Pay Debts And Beneficiaries?
When talking about estate planning, people usually assume that there will be an estate with enough assets to be shared among heirs and beneficiaries. But, what happens when someone dies and leaves behind more debts than assets? Imagine having to handle the loss of a loved one and the fact that they left more… Read More »
3 Crucial Estate Planning Tips For Blended Families
Family life is constantly changing, and according to Pew Research Center, blended families are more common in the United States. Blended families are generally more common in the United States because of divorce and remarriage. Approximately one out of six children in America lives in a blended family. This is a family where a… Read More »
Can Parents Unequally Divide Assets Among Their Children?
If you have assets, it is up to you to decide who inherits what after your passing. When you have children, making such a decision can be extremely difficult, especially if you are closer to one child and not close to the other(s). Also, deciding what to live for each child can be difficult… Read More »
Can A Beneficiary Also Be A Trustee In California?
A trustor/settlor/grantor may choose to set up a trust for various reasons, and the fact that a trust can be set up for many reasons is one of the things that makes this estate planning tool quite exciting. Generally speaking, a California trust can help a trustor accomplish nearly any goal they have with… Read More »
Trustees Vs. Executors
Among the many questions that individuals often ask probate attorneys is, “what is the difference between an executor and a trustee?” If you are asking yourself what the difference between the two is, you should know that you are not alone. After an individual sets up a living trust (a legal document that a… Read More »
Are Holographic Wills Legal In California?
Holographic wills are often drafted in situations where a person knows they are about to die, and they have no one around to help them type or witness the document. Some states do not recognize such wills, whereas others do. California is one of the states that recognizes holographic wills. However, it is essential… Read More »
What You Should Do If You Suspect Will Forgery?
Forging a will with the intention to defraud is a crime in California. Forgery in the state of California can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony. However, this article is not about the criminal aspect of forgery. This article is about California probate and what you should do if you suspect a… Read More »
