Estate Planning by an Experienced Attorney in Sacramento, CA

Protecting assets and preserving legacies with thorough estate plans

Everyone needs estate planning — but not everyone’s estate planning needs are the same. At the Bedell Law Office, we create tailored and effective estate plans for individuals and couples in the greater Sacramento area. Estate planning helps prevent the unnecessary and expensive court proceedings that can occur without the proper foresight. Attorney Jeffrey I. Bedell has experience implementing asset-protection methods to ensure your assets transfer to the heirs you choose. If you have children, Mr. Bedell helps you provide thorough instructions for how they are cared for upon your death or incapacity. No matter what your estate planning needs, the Bedell Law Office preserves your assets for future generations. We serve clients of all backgrounds in Sacramento, San Benito, Santa Cruz and throughout the Northern California region.

Estate planning for middle-aged or newly retired clients

Many of our clients are middle-aged people who have accumulated assets over the years and want those assets distributed properly when they’re gone. The Bedell Law Office drafts comprehensive estate plans to help clients protect hard-earned assets such as houses, cars, bank accounts and investment accounts. We thoroughly address concerns such as assigning a personal guardian to children under 18 and specifying the distribution of assets among your spouse, your grown children and other beneficiaries, such as a charity. To ease the burden on your family should you become incapacitated, we help you create durable powers of attorney and a health care directive. We draft, review and revise revocable trusts to prevent a costly probate, and we advise you on various trusts and gift-giving plans to reduce estate taxes.

Well versed in effective estate planning techniques

The Bedell Law Office invests time in getting to know our clients and designing an estate planning strategy that best serves their needs. We tailor robust estate plans that include:

• Wills: If you die without a will, California’s intestacy laws decide what happens to your property — making a will the cornerstone of basic estate planning. If you are a parent and have accumulated wealth, a durable power of attorney and advanced health care directive are needed.
• Trusts: Property in a trust does not require probate, and a trust lets others handle your assets when you are unable. We advise on tax implications and legal formalities to help clients experience the benefits of a trust, which include preventing property disputes.
• Probate administration and litigation: From will validation to estate appraisal and distribution, we mitigate the hardship of probate administration. We also handle probate litigation if a will is contested.
• Asset protection and tax planning: Through techniques including gifts of property, insurance, retirement plans and business entities, the Bedell Law Office provides sound asset-protection and tax-planning measures to safeguard your current holdings.
• Responsibilities of executors and trustees: We guide executors and trustees through the administrative responsibilities surrounding a will or trust. From dealing with beneficiaries to inventorying assets and paying estate taxes, we keep you on top of all the responsibilities of executors and trustees.

Changing your estate if you divorce

If you go through a divorce, your plans for your estate are likely to change. To make sure your estate is distributed the way you want, you may need to change:

• Your will: If your existing will names your former spouse as beneficiary, executor, or guardian of your children from a previous marriage, you need to rewrite your will.
• Your beneficiaries: Under the law, neither your will nor your divorce papers changes the beneficiary listed on your life insurance, retirement accounts, or bank or brokerage accounts that pay when you die.
• Your powers of attorney: If you have authorized your former spouse to make financial or medical decisions on your behalf, you most likely want to change these documents.

Plan ahead today – protect your assets tomorrow

The Bedell Law Office has extensive experience in all estate planning matters facing Californians. From your concerns on death taxes to asset-protection measures, we help you prepare. Call 916-473-1067 or contact us online for your initial consultation. We always price our services fairly and respond to phone calls and emails within 24 hours.