Inheritance Disputes in Southern California

Inheritance Disputes in Southern California
Velasco law Aug 14 2017

Death in itself is hard to accept. When you pass, your children will have to deal with your estate. Often times, in many cultures pre-planning your estate while alive is still taboo and so you may think you have it covered with a piece of paper saying what each child gets, but in California, but there is a thing called probate!

Probate can be a stressful and unproductive process for your heirs. Often times, your savings, the total inheritance left for your children is absorbed by the State. Why would anyone want to do this? It can create conflict amongst the children and often ends up in court being litigated at very high costs.

Whilst we take on and litigate inheritance dispute cases at Velasco Law Group, our preference is to help families realize that there is a way to prevent going to court and spending thousands of dollars on litigation costs. Avoiding probate is the ultimate goal here and our solution is to prepare and plan with you to protect your legacy.

An Estate Plan

An estate plan is written with the help of our team of attorneys. It consists of the preparation of wills, trusts and other documents to empower you to:

  1. Transfer your assets and property in accordance with your ultimate wishes.
  2. Create an estate plan whereby you minimize your exposure to estate taxes, enriching your beneficiaries with more wealth.
  3. Save on litigation costs for probate matters, which can amount to tens of thousands of dollars.
  4. Thoughtfully leave behind a plan to care for a domestic partner or significant other, if you are not married.
  5. Be able to define your wishes regarding medical and end-of-life treatment.
  6. Include and provide for the welfare of a special needs child or an elderly parent, structuring the trust to meet their needs.

Without an Estate Plan

Don’t be disheartened if an estate plan was never created, but be prepared for stress and court proceedings. If you are heading into litigation, we are experts in this area at Velasco Law Group. Ultimately, we want the best for your family but, as our client, we want you to gain peace of mind and protection for your family. Estate litigation can get very complex and may involve any or all of the following:

  1. A family member contesting a will
  2. Complex beneficiary claims
  3. A breach of fiduciary duties
  4. A mismanaged estate
  5. A family in chaos and conflict
  6. Beneficiaries claiming that there is a possibility of fraud, duress, undue influence and much more, all of which can be litigated in front of a judge

Our team of Estate Planning and Litigation attorneys, know exactly what needs to be done in all cases relating to inheritance protection and litigation. Our initial consult is complimentary at all three of our offices in Long Beach, Downey and Irvine. We have English and Spanish speaking staff and offer very comprehensive advice. We are also well networked with excellent financial advisors, real estate agents and other professional advisors who are able to assist you as needed.

For more information, please contact our office (562-432-5541) to make an appointment. Remember that avoiding probate with a carefully created estate plan is good life strategy, but if you are facing litigation, make sure you have the right attorney on your side; someone who truly cares about you and your family and will fight for your interests. If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, take comfort that our team can help you move forward.

For an appointment call us at 562-432-5541

"Do Not use this link to make
Retainer payments." Contact Us at 562-432-5541

Proceed To Web Link

Or scan the QR code with your phone to pay

Scanning instruction:

iOS and Android 9 and higher:
  1. Open the camera app.
  2. Focus the camera on the QR code by gently tapping the code.
  3. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the action.

If your device can't run Android 9 or higher, you can download an app to scan QR codes.