Are you willing to die intestate, without a Will, and let the courts have control of your assets? Do you have something of sentimental value that should go to a particular relative? Do you want your property dealt with fairly? Then you need a Living Will or a Living Trust. What’s the difference you may ask? The use of a Trust will allow you to circumvent the probate process so that your final wishes are processed in a timely manner. A Trust can also help to avoid estate taxes. Wills and probate can be complicated matters and choosing the right one requires information.

There are Simple Wills, where you choose a beneficiary to receive your assets, but your creditors can still go after those assets. There is a Comprehensive Will that makes available creditor protection. There is a Tax-Saving Will, which, as it name implies, does away with transfer taxes. There are Living Trusts that can help with creditors and provide for you if you can no longer manage yourself. There is a Credit Shelter Trust that is a safe haven against taxes. Confused?

Do not try to go online and make a Will by yourself. After all this is your life’s work we’re talking about. Talk to an attorney and set it up properly; do not hide your intentions, let everyone know, no secrets. Do not allow your assets to mix with other monies. Keep yourself structured and gather all records, documents, and any statements and keep them in a safe place. In today’s online world, include make sure to include login IDs and passwords.

A lifetime’s worth of dreams need help to be distributed to loved ones. In a time when all are grieving, don’t add to that pain by not having a will or trust.

Christmas time is upon us and it’s the moment to see whether you’ve been naughty or nice. It’s the season to spread happiness, hope, faith and presents! But ever stopped to think about those orphans who are in the need of the love and family warmth that everyone craves during Christmas. Many of us search for a way to give back to the community, but charity truly does begin at home.

According to UNICEF there are currently more than 180 million orphans around the world and as of 2008, there are approximately 500,000 children around the US living in foster care. According to the same study, violence in residential institutions is six times the violence in foster care. With so many children in need around the world, why not give them the best Christmas present they’d appreciate for life? Let’s help bring a smile to the faces of these children and help mold the future of tomorrow’s world.

So head to the closest destination for legal services in California and ask for your adoption papers. For those who are unable to adopt a child in need, give back through the means of support for them. Stop by an adoption agency and donate whatever you can, drop off some presents or simply spend a day with them, reading to them or singing along with the season’s carols.

If you are considering ending your marriage, then you may be wondering just exactly what the difference is between divorce and annulment. A marriage and annulment is a motion that the marriage be ended and removed from the record of the court that recorded it. This method of ending a marriage is much shorter then a divorce; however, an annulment motion must be filed within a certain time frame after the marriage occurs to be a valid option. A divorce requires much more paperwork than what an annulment does and it is a much longer and drawn out process. If you have been married for longer than a few months though, divorce is normally your only option. 

You may be wondering why one would seek an annulment versus a divorce. Most couples that seek an annulment are those who after only a few weeks of marriage realize they have made a mistake or those that got married in a rush without thinking anything through. They are normally couples that do not have joint assets nor children together. Those who seek a divorce are those who entered marriage willingly understanding what they were doing. Most couples that file divorce papers have been married for at least a year and have joint assets and possibly children as well. 

Before you file divorce papers, you need to step back and see what your own unique situation is. Which do you think you can file for? After evaluating the entire situation, seek out the help of an attorney who specializes in divorce service to begin the process of ending your marriage and of beginning a new life.