If you or a loved one passes away with no estate plan, your family will most likely be faced with California's expensive and time-consuming probate process. For example, if a deceased person owns a $500,000.00 home and $50,000.00 in stocks, it can cost up to $29,000.00 and take from nine months to two years to probate that estate.

Also, without proper tax planning, your family and beneficiaries may needlessly incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in estate taxes. By putting in place a solid and comprehensive estate plan, you can avoid these exorbitant costs, fees and taxes and provide a smooth transition for your heirs.

 A solid estate plan should address several issues: