San Francisco Estate Planning Lawyer

Lucas Pastuszka, Estate Planning attorney in San Francisco, again, “This is what I provide beginning with the centerpiece of an estate plan – your living trust or will…

Drafting of revocable living trust and irrevocable trust. The objective here is to avoid costly and time-consuming probate, to preserve wealth, minimize taxes, ensure the distribution of your estate is in keeping with your wishes, and provide for minor children.

Preparation of last will and testament that will accompany your trusts.

Preparation of critical supplemental documents for instance, a general transfer and assignment, nomination of guardians for minor children, certification of trust, and status of property agreement.

Special Needs Trust (SNT). This is designed to ensure that any disabled loved one who inherits from you is not disqualified from public benefits.
Incapacity Planning. If you become incapacitated through an accident or health condition, a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) allows you to name someone to handle your financial affairs. An Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD, sorry, more letters!) allows you to name someone who understands your personal beliefs and wishes to handle your healthcare and make medical decisions on your behalf.

Trust funding. This means adding your valuable assets to your trust, including the preparation and recording of real property deeds to transfer your real estate to your trust.

Disinheritance. This is one of the more emotional topics because it prevents specific individuals from inheriting your assets by directly disinheriting and excluding them from your estate. It’s tough to talk about, but it can be essential.

Substance abuse planning. This is another topic most would prefer not to plan for, but that’s when you get into trouble. This provides for the structuring of trusts to promote recovery and to support a beneficiary who’s struggling with substance abuse and dependence, while simultaneously protecting your trust assets by restricting a substance-dependent beneficiary from gaining immediate and complete access to the trust assets.

Finally, I encourage clients to review their estate plans regularly in the event that circumstances change. An estate plan is not a set it and forget it proposition!”