Riverside Estate Planning Attorney
You don’t have to navigate this grueling process alone. Our Southern California estate planning lawyers at Jones Legal are here to simplify the process, protect your interests, and ensure that your loved one’s estate is handled properly. Contact our law firm today by calling (951) 742-7213 or reach out online to schedule a free consultation.
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Experienced Estate Planning Attorney in Southern California
At Jones Legal, our Riverside estate planning law firm is dedicated to helping individuals and families take control of their financial future. Your estate includes the total value of all the assets you own, such as real estate, investments, retirement accounts, and personal property. Proper estate planning involves more than just deciding who will inherit these assets—it also helps minimize taxes, avoid probate, and protect your loved ones from unnecessary legal complications.
Whether you reside in Riverside County, San Bernardino County, or anywhere in The Inland Empire area, we are proud to provide personalized legal solutions tailored to your unique needs. With Jones Legal, you can create a solid estate plan that provides peace of mind and ensures your legacy is preserved for future generations.
To speak with an experienced Riverside estate planning attorney at our law offices, call (951) 742-7213 or schedule a free consultation online today.
Comprehensive Estate Planning Legal Services in Southern California
Planning for the future is about more than just protecting your assets—it’s about securing the well-being of your children and loved ones for years to come. By taking proactive steps now, you can prevent your heirs from facing legal disputes, financial burdens, or unnecessary court intervention due to a lack of preparation.
An experienced attorney like Jennifer Jones can help you establish a clear estate plan that outlines who will act on your behalf if you become incapacitated and who will inherit your assets when the time comes. Choosing a trusted individual to make financial and healthcare decisions on your behalf is essential to ensuring that your wishes are honored. Without a proper estate plan in place, the government will determine how your estate is distributed, and the courts will decide who raises your minor children.
At Jones Legal, we offer comprehensive estate planning services to help you take control of your legacy and provide peace of mind for your family.
Last Wills and Trusts
A Last Will and Testament is the most familiar component of an estate plan. A Will is a testamentary instrument that allows someone to create instructions on how they want the assets that will survive them to be distributed. The creator of the Will, called the testator, names the beneficiaries and the person(s) who will administer the estate, known as the executor.
After the testator passes on, the executor administers the estate through a court system called probate. Although probate requires administration through the court, which can be costly and time-consuming, there are many reasons why having a Will in place is so important.
Trusts, on the other hand, are more versatile instruments that can help you plan for life and death in ways that a Will typically can’t do. A Revocable Inter Vivos Trust, more commonly referred to as a Revocable Living Trust, is created during the settlor’s (creator of the Trust’s) lifetime. It allows one to define how his or her assets will be distributed when he or she passes on. Typically, the settlor names themself as the trustee and names a successor trustee in the event of death or incompetence. Over the years, Living Trusts have grown in popularity and are often preferred over Wills due to their tax-saving benefits and the fact that they can help beneficiaries avoid the burden of probate.
Other Types of Trusts
While a Revocable Living Trust is one of the most common estate planning tools, there are many other types of Trusts designed to meet specific financial and legal needs. Depending on your goals—whether it’s asset protection, tax benefits, charitable giving, or providing for a loved one with special needs—there are various Trust options available. Below are some of the many Trusts that can be incorporated into a comprehensive estate plan:
- Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
- Ongoing Trusts
- AB Trusts / Bypass Trusts / Credit Shelter Trusts
- QTIP Trusts
- Marital Deduction Trusts
- Children and Minor’s Trusts
- Special Needs Trust
- Spendthrift Trusts
- Charitable Trusts
What is the Difference Between Will and a Trust?
A Will and Trust are two completely different types of documents. They may seem similar in a few respects. However, they’re more different than they are the same. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each to get a better understanding of the differences between the two:
Will
Pros of a Will
- Clearly outlines who will inherit your property, minimizing confusion and family disputes.
- Can include a pour-over provision, which transfers remaining assets into a Trust to ensure full estate coverage.
- For parents, appointing a guardian to raise minor children.
- Can be modified or revoked as life circumstances change.
- Automatically revoking bequests made to a former spouse in the event of a divorce, preventing unintended inheritances.
- Regarding probate, California allows an exception for small estates valued under a certain amount, and not all property or assets are counted toward this limit.
- Allows you to specify burial preferences and other final arrangements.
Cons of a Will
- Requires probate, which can be costly, time-consuming, and burdensome for heirs.
- If you own property in more than one state, your Will may have to be probated in each of those states.
- Your financial affairs do not remain confidential, as they become public record through the probate process.
- Vulnerable to legal challenges or contests by a disgruntled heir.
Trust
Pros of a Trust
- Avoids probate in California.
- At the settlor’s passing, the Trust property transfers with minimum delay.
- Requires low maintenance costs.
- Difficult to legally challenge.
- The Trust instrument can name a successor trustee if the current trustee becomes incompetent.
- Fairly easy for the settlor to make changes to the Trust instrument.
Cons of a Trust
- The upfront costs of creating a Trust are more than the upfront costs of a Will.
- There are filing fees involved with transferring title of the property.
- The time and effort required to transfer property to Trust.
- A Trust does not automatically remove a former spouse as a beneficiary.
Advance Healthcare Directives & Living Wills
Another important estate planning document is an Advanced Health Care Directive (AHCD), or Living Will. An AHCD is a legal instrument that gives instructions to your physician and other health care providers regarding the circumstances under which you want life-sustaining treatment provided, withheld, or withdrawn.
Powers of Attorney (POA)
A Power of Attorney (POA) is a crucial legal document that allows you to establish who will manage your financial or healthcare decisions if you become incapacitated. A Durable Power of Attorney ensures that a trusted individual can handle important financial matters, such as paying bills, managing investments, or handling real estate transactions. Meanwhile, a Healthcare Power of Attorney, similar to an Advance Healthcare Directive, designates someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so.
Retirement Planning
It is also a good idea to review your retirement plan while you are creating your estate plan to ensure your financial future is secure. Understanding what your retirement savings, pensions, and Social Security benefits will provide at the time of retirement can help you make informed decisions about asset distribution, tax planning, and long-term care.
Evaluating whether your current savings and investments will support a comfortable standard of living is essential for both you and your beneficiaries. At Jones Legal, we have the tools and skills to assist with integrating retirement planning into your estate strategy, helping you preserve wealth and achieve long-term financial security.
Probate Proceedings
We also provide comprehensive Probate legal services in Southern California to help families navigate the often complex legal process after a loved one passes away. Whether you need assistance ensuring that an estate is properly settled or require legal representation for an intestate succession proceeding, an experienced Riverside probate attorney at our firm is here to help, ensuring that assets are distributed correctly, debts are resolved, and all legal requirements are met.
Why Choose Jones Legal for Your Riverside Estate Planning Needs?
Many families, individuals, and business owners in Riverside, California and the surrounding Inland Empire area turn to Jennifer Jones at Jones Legal for trusted estate planning services because of her professionalism, knowledge, and dedication to securing the future of her clients. Whether you need to protect your assets, advise on wealth transfer strategies, or create a comprehensive plan to benefit the next generation, Jones Legal provides personal legal solutions tailored to your unique needs.
At all stages of life, our law firm offers the legal support necessary to ensure your estate plan provides lasting security for your loved ones.
Contact Jones Legal – Your Trusted Riverside Estate Planning Attorney
At Jones Legal, we’re here to provide the dedicated legal services you need to navigate the estate planning process with confidence. Creating an estate plan can feel overwhelming, but with the knowledge and experience of a Riverside estate planning attorney like Jennifer Jones, you can feel assured that your future and legacy are in capable hands.
To discuss your needs and goals with an experienced attorney on our team, call our Riverside office at (951) 742-7213 or reach out online to schedule a free consultation today.