• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • Scott P. Schomer Certified As Specialist In Estate Planning, Trust And Probate Law
    • Trust and Probate Litigation: Verdicts and Settlements
  • Services
    • Estate Planning
    • Probate
    • Trust Administration
    • Trust, Probate and Estate Litigation
    • Family-Owned Businesses
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Loss of a Loved One
    • Power of Attorney
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Young Families
  • Probate
    • Is Probate Always Necessary In California?
    • Probate & Estate Planning Savings Calculator
    • Probate Administration
    • Probate Code 850 Petitions
    • Probate Disputes
    • Probate In California
    • Probate Laws
    • Probate Litigation
    • Why Hire A Probate Attorney
  • Elder Law
    • Conservatorship
    • Coping with Alzheimer’s
    • Estate Planning
  • Resources
    • Elder Law
      • Elder Law & Medi-Cal Definitions
      • Elder Law Reports
    • Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning Articles
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Special Needs Planning Can Protect Benefits
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Free Seminars
      • Webinars
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Advance Health Care Directives
      • Asset Protection
      • California Adult Conservatorship
      • Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning & Remarriage
      • Frequently Asked Questions For Families Without An Estate Plan
      • In-Home Elder Care
      • IRA Inheritance Planning
      • IRA & SECURE Act
      • Irrevocable Trust
      • Last Will and Testament
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Living Trust
      • Probate
      • Special Needs Planning
      • Trusts
      • Trust Administration
      • Wills
    • Newsletters
    • Pre Consultation Form
    • Presentations
    • Published Book
    • Trust Administration & Probate Resources
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss of a Loved One
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • Communities We Serve
    • Los Angeles County
      • Bellflower
      • Cerritos
      • El Segundo
        • El Segundo Probate Resources
      • Hawthorne
      • Inglewood
      • Long Beach
        • Long Beach Elder Resources
        • Long Beach Probate Resources
      • Manhattan Beach
      • Playa del Rey
      • Santa Monica
      • Westchester
        • Westchester Elder Resources
        • Westchester Probate Resources
    • Orange County
      • Anaheim
      • Buena Park
      • Cypress
      • Fountain Valley
      • Garden Grove
      • Huntington Beach
        • Huntington Beach Elder Resources
        • Huntington Beach Probate Resources
      • Los Alamitos
        • Los Alamitos Probate Resources
      • Rossmoor
      • Stanton
      • Seal Beach
      • Westminster
  • Contact Us
  • BLOG
  • Videos

Schomer Law Group, Los Angeles Estate Planning and Elder Law and Elder Law Attorneys

Schomer Law Group, Los Angeles Estate Planning and Elder Law and Elder Law Attorneys

Connect With Us Today (310) 337-7696

Attend a Free Event
Home » Elder Law » Estate Planning

Estate Planning

estate planning, inheritance planning, wills and trusts, incapacity planningEveryone has an estate. While many people mistakenly believe estate planning is only for the wealthy, the reality is that you need to make provisions for your money and property even if you do not have millions of dollars in the bank. Estate planning is also about more than just protecting your assets and leaving a legacy. By creating a comprehensive estate plan, you can take more control over your future.

The Schomer Law Group provides legal representation with the estate planning process to clients of all ages, and to clients at all income levels. Our Los Angeles estate planning attorneys can help you to make the best use of the full array of legal tools available to you to control your own future, to protect yourself, and to protect those who you love. Give us a call as soon as possible so our legal team can put together a personalized plan for you and so we can answer key questions including:

  • Why is estate planning important?
  • What is involved in creating an estate plan?
  • How can a Los Angeles estate planning lawyer help you?

Why is Estate Planning Important?

Estate planning is important because:

  • You need to protect your legacy. Estate planning involves using legal tools to keep assets safe from creditors and divorce, to reduce or eliminate taxes on estates, and to make sure assets are managed carefully. With a comprehensive estate plan in place, you can ensure you have money and property to hand down to your loved ones.
  • You need to protect your autonomy. Do you want to choose who will make decisions for you if you become incapacitated or do you want a court choosing for you? Do you want to decide what kinds of extraordinary life saving medical care you will receive if you become badly injured or are seriously ill? If so, you need an estate plan.
  • You need to protect your loved ones. You don’t want your family to fight about asset division or about the medical care you should be receiving. You don’t want your family to end up in court if you become incapacitated or pass away. You don’t want a gift you give to a disabled family member to cause loss of access to government benefits. In order to make sure you are doing everything possible to protect your loved ones, you need a comprehensive estate plan. This is especially important for people with minor children who should name a guardian and who should make sure that there are financial resources available to care for kids into adulthood.

These are just a few of many reasons why everyone should have an estate plan. Your plan will be customized to your goals and your needs, so you should speak with a Los Angeles estate planning lawyer specifically about why estate planning is important for you.

What is Involved in Creating an Estate Plan?

The specific process of creating an estate plan may be different for different people. However, the creation of a plan involves using a wide variety of legal tools at your disposal. For example, your plan may include:

  • A last will and testament, so you can name a guardian for your kids, dictate how you want to be buried, and determine how your assets should be divided.
  • Trusts, so you can protect money and property from being lost or squandered by beneficiaries; and so you can reduce or avoid estate taxes.
  • An advanced health care directive so you can ensure you don’t get life-prolonging care when you don’t have any quality of life and so you can save your family from making the choice to pull the plug.
  • A power of attorney so you can name the person who will be in charge of managing your affairs and making your decisions if you cannot speak for yourself any longer.

A Los Angeles estate planning lawyer will help you to explore all of the different steps you should take to make sure your plan is comprehensive and accomplishes your goals.

What Happens If You Die Without an Estate Plan?

If you pass away without any estate planning documents at all, the condition is called “intestacy.” Under these circumstances, the probate court would supervise during the estate administrationestate planning, living trust attorney process.

They would appoint a personal representative to handle the estate administration tasks. This is usually the closest relative of the decedent. Final debts will be paid during probate, and if anyone wants to contend that they are in line for an inheritance, they can present an argument.

In many cases, there can be family disagreements when there is no document stating the final wishes of the decedent in no uncertain terms. Even if everyone is on the same page, the process can be confusing and time-consuming.

Ultimately, the assets would be distributed in accordance with the intestate succession laws of the state of California. Under these circumstances, people that you would have never left out could be disinherited or shortchanged.

There is no reason to roll the dice with intestacy when qualified estate planning assistance is just a phone call away.

Why Do You Need an Estate Planning Lawyer?

There are websites that sell boilerplate, fill-in-the-blanks worksheets and downloads that you can use to create legal documents. They contend that it is easy to plan your own estate, and youestate planning lawyer, living trust creation, inheritance planning attorney really do not need an attorney to put an estate plan in place.

If you stop and think about it logically, your estate is comprised of all the property that you have been able to accumulate throughout your life. It is going to be transferred to the people that you love the most, and this will be your final act of giving.

This is a very profound endeavor, and you should take it quite seriously. You routinely engage all different types of professionals when you have to take care of certain responsibilities because they have expertise that you lack .

Why would you decide that you can take on this important task by yourself without any legal counsel?

Plus, there are many different asset transfer methods that can be utilized. A layperson would not be aware of all the possibilities that exist and why you would use one vehicle instead of another. When you act with insufficient information, costly mistakes can be made.

On the other hand, when you work with an attorney to develop your estate plan, you are not incurring an expense. You are making an investment that will yield dividends, and you might save money in the long run.

Have You Contemplated Your Legacy?

A bare-bones estate plan is one thing, but a legacy plan is another. You can consciously shape your legacy when you are making your final decisions, and it will influence the way that people remember you.

Direct monetary inheritances are not the only consideration. You can make sure that your grandchildren have the financial backing that they need to go to college. Some people are in a position to set aside resources for charitable causes and/or institutions.

When you are devising a legacy plan, you can also put your writing skills to work. You can share your memoirs so that family members can get a better understanding of your path, and you can pass along your moral and spiritual values in an ethical will.

Family heirlooms will also enter the picture. You can go through all of the items that you have in your possession and choose the ideal caretaker for each one of them.

If you take the time to carefully consider the details, you can leave a rich legacy and add a lasting chapter to your family history.

Have You Reviewed Your Existing Plan?

Your initial estate plan is going to be based on a snapshot of your life situation at that time. The only constant is change, and your family dynamic may evolve over the years.

There can be additions and subtractions to the family, a change in marital status, and you could be in a different financial position. Your inheritance decisions can shift over time, and new laws can be passed that can trigger the need for estate plan updates.

In some cases, you will know that you should work with an attorney to update your plan, but procrastination is not uncommon. Even if you are not aware of any changes that should be made, you should schedule periodic reviews to make sure that your estate plan is current.

How Can a Los Angeles Estate Planning Lawyer Help You?

A Los Angeles estate planning lawyer can provide you with invaluable assistance in setting goals for your future and in taking concrete steps to achieve those goals. When protecting yourself, your family, and your legacy are priorities, the Schomer Law Group is here to help. If you want to find out how we approach our relationships with our clients, check out this video.

You can call us at 310-337-7676 if you are ready to schedule a consultation, and there is a contact form on this site you can use if you would prefer to send us a message.

Primary Sidebar

Schomer Law Group, Los Angeles Estate Planning, Probate, and Elder Law Attorneys

Schomer Law Group

FREE Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

Testimonials

Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

We need to update our Living Trust and attended Schomer Law Group’s seminar. Afterwards we made an appointment and were impressed by the attention Scott Schomer and Liran Aliav gave to our case answering all questions and making suggestions how to minimize the estate tax. All the office staff is very friendly and we highly recommend Schomer Law Group.

Frank & Jutta R
Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

Mr. Schomer does an amazing job at explaining all the intricacies of establishing a trust. He and his team help you every step of the way so you always know what to expect and what you are preparing for. Best education you can get and the best gift you can give your family.

Paula M.
Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

We put off getting a trust for years. After attending a seminar with Scott Schomer we realized that the time had come to get a trust. We were given very good reasons for why we should get a trust. No pressure, just the plain facts. We are very relieved and happy to finally get our trust. Scott and Cesar were very knowledgeable, helpful and listened to our ideas of what we had to say. Any questions that we have now and in the future they are available to assist us to solve them. I recommend the Schomer Law Group and I wish we knew about them years ago.

Phillip G.
Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

When you’re presented with an invitation to attend in a mailer, you may have reservations, this was a truly gift!! My wife and I were educated and guided through the process of creating a family trust.
Both of our parents had attorney’s that “worked” with wills/trusts, but came up short. Fortunately, the Schomer Law Group was there! This is a group of attorney’s that only specialize in estate planning, law, and financial advice, so you know you’re getting expert and personalized advice. This is the best money we’ve ever spent!! Thank you!

Bob L.
Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

We knew we had to update our 10 year old ( 20 page ) trust. After several detailed meetings, Liran and Cesar produced a large ( 300 pages + ) highly detailed trust document that we have used to make sure our family estate is well managed and clearly understood.
They were all very helpful in answering myriad questions and explaining all the various options…

We would strongly recommend the Schomer Law Group to anyone with an estate of even modest means, to assure proper planning…

Bob S.
Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

We had contemplated updating our will and starting a trust for a number of years. After attending a talk by Scott Schomer we realized we were long overdue and the potential downside of not having our affairs in order was significant. Scott and his excellent team made the process simple and seamless. They were great listeners, addressed all our concerns and even pulled and processed all the paperwork from our financial institutions. If you are looking for assistance with estate planning, wills and trusts, we highly recommend Schomer Law Group.

Robert F.
Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

Very competent & informative – friendly atmosphere – ready to answer the most mundane questions – relaxed.

Joan S.
Client Review
July 29, 2020
    

Mr. Schomer was excellent in getting our family trust and estate affairs in order. My husband and I had put off doing this and Scott really made the process easy! He is very passionate in making sure his clients get all that they need and we really appreciated it. I would highly recommend him and look forward to the many years he will be available to assist our family.

Kim

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Office Address

El Segundo
2155 Campus Drive
Suite 250,
El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: (310) 337-7696
Fax: 310-337-1277

See Larger Map Get Directions

Office Hours

Monday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Footer

  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Schomer Law Group

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

footer-logo
© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.

Schomer Law Group

Attorney Advertisement.

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.