California living trust laws govern how residents can create and manage trusts to hold their assets, potentially bypassing probate-a court-supervised process for transferring property after death.

Dear Liz: Is naming a beneficiary for a nonretirement, “payable on death” account as effective as putting the account in a living trust? It seems easier than doing all the paperwork each time I open ...

Trusts are described in multiple ways, including: living or testamentary, revocable or irrevocable and grantor or non-grantor. These terms are not always mutually exclusive. A trust can be living, ...

Question: I understand that when you set up a trust, the assets that are in the name of the trust are protected from lawsuits and creditors. If this is so, it seems like that in today’s litigious ...

Living trusts can help your heirs avoid probate. A living trust can typically be updated while you're still alive. They can be more expensive than wills. This legal document gives you flexibility and ...

Creating an estate plan is crucial for everyone over the age of 18, yet few Americans are making it a priority. A recent survey by elder care site Caring.com found 64% of Americans believe having a ...

Avoiding probate and retaining control over the distribution of your assets are two key benefits of using a living trust as part of your estate plan. With so many misconceptions around trusts, it's ...

If you have established a living trust and own real estate, you were likely advised to transfer the real estate to your trust. A living trust may also be known as a “revocable trust,” “inter vivos ...

Dear Liz: My goal is to avoid probate and allow simplified access for my heir, who is also my executor. I have no family. I have chosen payable-on-death and transfer-on-death accounts instead of ...

Christy Bieber has a JD from UCLA School of Law and began her career as a college instructor and textbook author. She has been writing full time for over a decade with a focus on making financial and ...

A living trust is also known as a revocable trust. A living trust typically involve the creator of the trust remaining actively involved in be maintained while active, which can add costs if you use ...