California residents requiring long-term care or other expensive medical care can get help paying for their healthcare by qualifying for Medi-Cal. Through Medi-Cal Planning with Elder Law Services of California, a person will be able to maintain their accustomed quality of life while preserving their assets, including the family home. Judd Matsunaga of www.ElderLawCalifornia.com is available for a free consultation to discuss your needs and and answer questions about Medi-Cal and Asset Preservation. Call Judd at 1-800 403-6078
The interest of your heirs can be protected through the use of wills and trusts which when properly drafted can also help reduce taxes and probate fees. As an experienced estate planning attorney for more than ten years, Judd Matsunaga of Elder Law Servicies of California can help with the proper legal drafting of wills and trusts.
Listed below are four important aspects of estate planning that can help to preserve the value of your estate and ensure the efficient administration and disposition of your estate’s assets.
1. A will is the begininng of an estate plan and deals with all matters pertaining to the final distribution of your estate’s assets. A will is a legal document that speaks on your behalf upon your demise. Without a will the courts will decide the manner in which your estate’s assets will be distributed – which may not be in accordance with your wishes.
2. A trust is a legal document that can be designed to address any unique situation that you may have in regard to the distribution of your estate assets. For example, a spendthrift trust can be set up to protect the interests of a beneficiary who is not good at handling money. A trust can be set up for the protection and administration of assets for minor children, a spouse or for any other beneficiary.
3. Your estate’s executor will need to know the location of all of your assets and vital documents. A complete and proper record of your assets and vital documents will eliminate the possibility of assets being lost.
4. It is important to understand that most estates are illiquid, meaning that most of the estate’s assets are not readily convertible into cash. For example, real estate, long term financial investments, business interests, rental properties and such might not be easily and quickly sold for cash.
This means that proper funding arrangements need to be made in advance to avoid the possibility that your estate’s valuable assets would have to be liquidated at fire sale prices in order to pay taxes and other estate settlement expenses. These expenses can easily add up to thousands and even millions of dollars for larger estates. A qualified estate planning attorney like Judd Matsunaga can help you plan accordingly to avoid such a situation.
By implementing the above estate planning strategies you can ensure that all your affairs are properly organized and depending on the size of your estate, you could potentially save thousands if not millions of dollars. Your heirs will be relieved that you made all the proper arrangements and that all your affairs were left in order. To learn more on how estate planning can benefit you and your heirs call Judd Matsunaga with Elder Law Servicies of California at 1-800 403-6078 for a free consulation.
“Judd Matsunaga has a gift. He explains complex tax and legal issues clearly. He designed a tax strategy custom-tailored to fit our unique estate planning situation. I’d recommend Judd to anyone with complex estate planning needs.”
J. Beardsley
Judd Matsunaga is an outstanding attorney! He really knows his ‘stuff’. All my questions and fears were answered. Judd is very understanding. He was willing to explain things about Asset Protection that I didn’t understand and he was kind and empathetic. I’m recommending Judd without reservation!
We were tremendously impressed by the way Judd Matsunaga welcomed us and very patiently explained all of the detailed stipulations of a well prepared estate plan. He is very knowledgeable with all the details of the laws in California. We are so grateful for his expert opinions and professional approach in preparing our wills and living trusts, and power of attorney documents.
J. Nolen
I absolutely HATE having to deal with things I don’t understand like taxes and estate planning and that is why it is so important for me to have a professional like Judd Matsunaga to depend on. Judd is a competent and well informed estate planning attorney in Los Angeles, and I have to believe that his knowledge of estate planning law is unsurpassed. Judd is also fun to work with!
E. Nichols
I continuously procrastinated on dealing with matters pertaining to my Will. Judd Matsunaga made me feel at ease and comfortable from the moment we met. Judd was able to anticipate my questions and not only develop a sound tax strategy, but make it easy to understand. After only a couple of meetings the legal documents were completed and I feel I gained a friend and trusted adviser. Now I don’t have to worry about my last wishes.
J. Torres
After our first meeting with Judd Matsunaga at the Law Offices of Elder Law Services of California, my parents and I knew that his professionalism and knowledge was exactly what we were looking for. A wonderful bonus is the fact that Judd is very approachable and easy to communicate with. Judd has certainly given my parents peace-of-mind. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Judd Matsunaga to either a friend or stranger and often times do when the opportunity arises. They won’t be disappointed.
E. Fields
Judd Matsunaga did a good job for us, so yes, I can recommend Judd and Elder Law Services of California to anyone who needs to set up a living trust.
Robert B.
Judd Matsunaga was both knowledgeable in the many areas of estate planning and patient with our questions. My wife and I met with him several times discussing our concerns and we always left his office satisfied with his explanations and suggestions. There was never any pressure to pursue any particular option. Based on our numerous discussions, we came to decisions we were comfortable with.
Gerald C.