Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration and Conservatorships

Myers Widders is dedicated to helping families of every background plan their estates and protect themselves and their loved ones.

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Wills / Trusts / Health Care Directives / Durable Powers of Attorney / Probate / Trust Administration

Myers Widders is dedicated to helping families of every background plan their estates and protect themselves and their loved ones. We offer comprehensive estate planning, probate and trust administration services. The firm offers a full range of services, from drafting wills and living trusts, durable powers of attorney and health care directives to designing and drafting complex estate plans for individuals with substantial estates who wish to maximize property transfers to their families while minimizing gift and estate taxes. We can also help with probate matters, including plans to avoid probate court completely. Our compassionate Estate Planning team at Myers Widders is ready to help you.

Trusts

We handle all types of trusts, from simple probate-avoidance trusts, to tax-planned trusts such as

A-B Trusts
A-B-C- Trusts
Disclaimer Trusts
Life Insurance Trusts

Charitable Remainder Trusts
Qualified Residence Trusts
Qualified Domestic Trusts
Special Needs Trusts for persons receiving needs-based government benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income and Medi-CAL.

Succession Planning for Business Owners

An important part of our practice is estate planning for business owners whose personal wealth is concentrated in their businesses and assisting clients in achieving their business succession planning objectives and goals.

Lifetime Planning for Your Estate – What Is Estate Planning?

Estate planning, simply put, is the collection of steps you need to take to make sure that your heirs are provided for in the best possible way, including lifetime planning as well as disposition of property at death. Estate planning is carried out with legal documents such as wills and trusts; it typically involves an attorney, and may be complicated if you have substantial assets.

However, every estate plan should start at the same point: decide who needs your support and how you want to provide for them. Although it may be difficult to sit down and plan for the day when you will no longer be here, it is essential and a real show of love for your family.

Changes in Estate Planning, Federal Estate Law, Gift Taxes, and Benefits

The firm also has experience advising clients on federal estate and gift tax law, as well as assisting clients who have accumulated substantial retirement/employee benefits in designing plans that successfully accomplish their long-term estate planning objectives.

We also offer trust administration services, including asset allocations, sub trust funding, conservatorship, and preparation of federal estate tax returns.

Estate Planning FAQ

Estate planning benefits those with large estates, as well as those with modest assets. Creating an estate plan ensures that all property will be distributed according to the personal wishes of the deceased, and that those who are benefiting from the estate receive the largest distribution possible with a minimum amount of delay. Specifically, estate planning allows an individual to decide exactly who will benefit from their estate, and to what extent. Estate planning also ensures that the estate will not be destroyed by taxes imposed on the transfer of assets at death. In addition to providing financial security, estate planning encourages individuals to make important decisions, such as appointing a guardian for minor children, choosing healthcare preferences, and securing funeral arrangements.

Whether or not you need an estate planning lawyer to help you draft a will generally depends on the extent and complexity of your assets. Many people will only use a will for the purpose of passing on things like a home or personal property to their loved ones. In preparing your will, it is important to meet certain basic procedural requirements like making sure you have witnesses when you sign the necessary documents. However, with some careful reading and research, it is certainly possible to draft a valid will on your own if your estate is relatively simple. If your estate will be more complex and/or involves significant assets, it may be best to work with an attorney to ensure that your wishes are carried out with respect to the disposition of your property.