• 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      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?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 » Estate Planning » Estate Planning Attorneys Discuss Privacy Issues

Estate Planning Attorneys Discuss Privacy Issues

May 15, 2018Estate Planning

estate planning attorneys Estate planning is a method for preparing yourself and your family for what happens after your death.  Estate planning also allows you to plan for unexpected incapacity. Planning ahead gives you a chance to specify who will inherit your property after your death while helping you to reduce the taxes your estate will have to pay.  If you become temporarily or permanently incapacitated, your estate plan can provide the protection you and your family will need. Some clients are concerned about losing their privacy during estate planning, but our estate planning attorneys can help you with this issue.

Are you concerned with privacy?

It is not uncommon for clients to be concerned about the privacy of their affairs, including the nature and extent of their assets and the identity of their beneficiaries. There are steps that can be taken to keep this information private, while still creating the necessary estate plan and our estate planning attorneys can help. In fact, there are simple estate planning tools that can provide protection for your private information.

Trusts provide more privacy for your estate and your affairs

One method we suggest for protecting your privacy in estate planning is using a trust instead of a Will. A trust is a private document, unlike a Will which is considered a public document made available to anyone during the probate process. All someone has to do is visit the courthouse and request a copy. Furthermore, trusts have many other advantages over a will, like providing incapacity planning during your lifetime.

Wills are subject to public proceedings

What some people don’t realize is that Wills are subject to probate, unlike trusts. Probate is a public proceeding that begins with the filing of a petition in a California Superior Court in the county where the deceased was living at the time of his or her death.  A hearing will be held by the court approximately thirty (30) days after the filing of the petition. Because it is a public proceeding, all of the provisions of the Will, including the names of the beneficiaries, whether any assets were left in a trust, the amounts left to each beneficiary, etc., will all become public knowledge. That means anyone can find out the exact value of the assets that you leave to each of your beneficiaries. The terms of a trust are only released to the beneficiaries, but not to the public.

Trusts protect your privacy during your lifetime as well

If you have any privacy concerns during your lifetime, with regard to your assets, you can use a trust to protect them as well. For instance, some clients desire to purchase real property but want to keep their ownership private from others. If you purchase the property outright, in your own name, then that ownership will be made public through the property tax records which can be accessed by the public through the county tax assessor’s office.  Your name as the owner will also be discoverable through a search of the deed index.

However, if a trust is used to purchase the real property, then only the name of the trustee and the trust will be disclosed in relation to ownership of the property. Ultimately, if privacy is a crucial element of your estate planning, then you should consider using a trust. Our estate planning attorneys can help with drafting all of your estate planning instruments.

Creating a do-it-yourself estate plan may not be the answer

There are risks in using a do-it-yourself trust or other estate planning tool. The most common risk is not having the document witnessed properly, in compliance with the legal requirements in their state.  Most states require two witness signatures for a will to be valid.  Another problem clients often have is that names were misspelled or notations on the will were unclear, which requires intervention by the court. Some of the mistakes that are typically seen with a do it yourself will can lead to serious legal issues that cannot always be corrected quickly. If you do not seek the assistance of one of our estate planning attorneys, your tools may not provide the privacy you seek.

Join us for a free seminar today! If you have questions regarding estate planning, trust contests, or any other trust administration issues, please contact the Schomer Law Group either online or by calling us in Los Angeles at (310) 337-7696, and in Orange County at (562) 346-3209.

#estateplanning, #schomerlawgroup, #estateplanningattorneys

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
A graduate of Boston University School of Law, Scott P. Schomer is a frequent lecturer on estate planning and elder law issues, having discussed these important issues on local and national television. A seasoned courtroom advocate, Scott has obtained combined judgments and verdicts in excess of twenty-five million dollars for his clients. Scott has served as a member of the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Volunteer Panel (PVP Attorney), Probate Settlement Panel and a Judge Pro Tempore. Scott's expertise has been recognized by his peers with such accolades as a life-time membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Five Star Wealth Manager designation, and repeated nominations as California Super Lawyer.
Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney
Latest posts by Scott Schomer, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)
  • Things You May Need to Update in Your Estate Plan When You Enter Retirement - March 22, 2023
  • 10 Estate Planning Tips You Cannot Afford to Ignore - March 21, 2023
  • 7 Estate Planning Steps for the Beginner - March 16, 2023

Other Articles You May Find Useful

estate planning tips
10 Estate Planning Tips You Cannot Afford to Ignore
estate planning steps
7 Estate Planning Steps for the Beginner
Estate planning
How Do I Approach the Subject of Estate Planning with My Elderly Parents?
Los Angeles estate planning attorneys
Marriage and Divorce: How Your Estate Plan Can Help Protect Assets
The Lessons from Lisa Marie
What Happens When You Don’t Trust Your Trustee – Part I

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

Subscribe To Our Blog

Sign up using the form below to get our latest estate planning updates!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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.