There is so much to do at the Orange County Fair, but Jody Willliams’ Face Painting station is one attraction you should not miss. Her station is located near the Baja Blue restaurant. Though her face painting provides modest income, along with the murals she paints in various locations in Southern California, she considers her art a ministry. She also provides weekly feedings at HisPlace Church, on the Huntington Beach campus.
A life of ministry
Williams believes in faith and sharing. Despite having seven of her own children, she has fostered many others in her home. Before she was in charge of the food ministry at HisPlace, Williams operated the Feeding Lost Sheep program in Westminster along with Calvary Chapel WestGrove. Through that program, she was able to feed 500 people each month. Her motto after more than 20 years of service in the community is to provide “physical and spiritual food.” Her only requirement is that the individuals who come to her are clean and sober when they do.
An artist with a gift
Things haven’t always gone smoothly for Williams who lost her six-bedroom house in 2009 and suffered abuse as a child. She was forced to relocate to a single bedroom home with her, then, three children. Even through her trials, she continued to feed the needy out of her garage and later from a motel commonly visited by the homeless.
As a painter, Williams said she would use the gifts she was given to provide for her family. Her recent mural created at Bolsa Chia was commissioned by Alicia Whitney who owns several restaurants including Pacific Kitchen and Beach City Provisions.
Why Orange County residents need an estate plan
If you want your estate to be protected for your loved ones, as nearly everyone does, then you must have an estate plan. Without Orange County estate planning, your family will likely face overwhelming tax burdens, as well as other unwanted consequences. You may also be leaving many of the decisions regarding your estate to the court instead of making them yourself.
Estate planning protects families with young children
While none of us want to consider the possibility that we might die while our children are still minors, but it happens. So, you need to prepare for this dreadful possibility. This is where the last will and testament, an important component of every estate plan, is most helpful. What parent would not want to make all the decisions regarding their child’s care? In order to ensure that your children will be taken care of, in the way you see fit, you need to designate a guardian or guardians to care for them, in the event both parents die before the children turn 18. Otherwise, once again, the court will make that decision for you.
Main goals of Orange County estate planning
Estate planning is meant to prepare you and your family for the chance of incapacity and for death. There are a variety of Orange County estate planning tools that can be used, depending on the specific goals of your estate plan.
Planning for possible incapacity
Incapacity can be caused by either a physical or mental condition. The notion of incapacity, in a legal sense, refers to the ability to understand the nature of consequences of legal proceedings. However, when you are dealing with Orange County estate planning issues, incapacity refers to a person’s ability to manage their own affairs and make decisions on their own. Therefore, incapacity could also be physical in nature, if you are no longer able to take care of your own affairs. Without an estate plan that deals with incapacity, you may end up being appointed a court-supervised conservator or guardian.
Planning for your death
The other purpose of Orange County estate planning is to plan for how your estate will be handled after your death. One of the primary estate planning instruments that addresses what should be done after your death is the Last Will and Testament. A Will is basically written instructions on how you want your estate to be distributed after you die. A Will can also allow you to nominate a guardian for your children, should you pass away while they are still minors. One disadvantage of a will is that the property will go through probate before your assets can be distributed.
If you have questions regarding Orange County 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.
- How Can an Incentive Trust Help Me Achieve My Estate Planning Goals? - September 4, 2023
- How Do I Prove Undue Influence in a California Will Contest? - September 2, 2023
- National Make-a-Will Month - September 1, 2023