Bankruptcy can take a lot out of a person. Finances on the fritz and all the noise about how “bad” bankruptcy is does nothing to help. The panic can be a lot for anyone to handle, but this is especially true for anyone in retirement trying to make sure they have enough to get by […]

In a world with easy access to obscene levels of information, estate planning often suffers from common misconceptions. Most information online about estate planning will guide you to secure your assets for what you leave behind when you’re gone, but estate planning is about more than your loved ones – it’s about you, too. An […]

Filing for bankruptcy takes serious time and consideration. While we are often helping our clients fight the stigma of bankruptcy, we still understand the finality of such a decision and the short and long-term financial consequences. For some, bankruptcy is not a one-off decision. Bad decisions, bad luck, and just bad circumstances can often put […]

So much of our lives are spent planning for retirement. We build up wealth and assets in order to live a comfortable life in retirement. IRAs are popular retirement planning accounts that we advocate for and that many Americans use to build up enough to retire. Ideally, when you plan for retirement you plan to […]

The worst-case scenario debtors think about before filing for bankruptcy is losing everything. Your house, car, furniture—what if it all goes away? Fortunately, many people can retain their principal place of residence thanks to what’s called the homestead exemption. Each state (except for New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which have no homestead exemption) has slightly different […]

We hope the holidays were full of good cheer for you and your family. Seeing loved ones far and wide is one of the best parts of the season. The holidays can sometimes reveal, though, that elderly family members are not as mentally sharp as they used to be. This can certainly be an uncomfortable […]

When it comes to personal bankruptcies, debtors are generally limited to two types: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.  Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows debtors to wipe most debts from their record, but it comes at a price: you may lose a good amount of your possessions that are used to secure some of those debts. On […]

A trust is one of the most popular estate planning documents used by Californians. Trusts are preferred for their flexibility, customizable features, and ability to avoid the lengthy probate process, among other facets.  There are many different types of trusts our firm helps Californians create and maintain; one of the most common is the special […]

Planning for the future is one of those tasks too many people ignore or put off until it’s too late. The reality is that estate planning can happen at any stage of life, and the sooner you do it the better your loved ones are protected and the better you are protected. If you decide […]

Bankruptcy should not be viewed as a bad thing in all situations. For some, bankruptcy is the only viable avenue to a financial fresh start. These filings are an opportunity to lessen the burden debt has on your life so you can take steps forward in your career and personal life. What’s also true is […]