Sacramento Estate Planning Lawyer

California law firm advises clients on ways to preserve and transfer assets

A strong estate plan might include many different elements, such as wills, trusts and advance legal directives in case you experience a medical crisis. It is very important that these instruments work together and are prepared in a manner that complies with the law and reflects your unique circumstances. At K. Greg Peterson, a Professional Law Corporation in Sacramento, we have been developing comprehensive estate plans for clients since 1995. We are dedicated to giving Californians the peace of mind that they deserve as they prepare for the future.

Why you should put a sound estate plan in place

Estate plans are not just for the wealthy, but for anyone who wants to ease the burden on their loved ones and control what happens to the property they’ve accumulated over a lifetime. Without a valid testamentary instrument, your assets and debts will be distributed upon your death to family members based on the priority system set forth in California’s intestacy law. The results might not reflect your wishes or what is best for your beneficiaries. Through legal instruments such as wills and trusts, our firm helps clients direct where their property goes and assists with other specific goals, such as reducing estate taxes and transferring assets outside of the probate process.

Firm assists with wills, trusts and probate matters

As a California Bar Certified Specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law, Greg Peterson handles a full range of matters relating to the efficient distribution of property to beneficiaries, such as:

• Wills — Every adult who owns property should have an enforceable will to direct who should receive their property when they pass away. Even in cases where someone decides to transfer assets through a trust or some other method, wills are important because there might be assets that are not otherwise addressed. Our firm guides Californians through the will drafting process and also handles revisions to existing wills when a testator decides to make an adjustment due to changed circumstances.
• Trusts — Clients of our firm use trusts to ease the burden on their surviving family members, gain a tax benefit or endow a charitable cause. These versatile legal instruments serve many other estate planning functions as well, such as funding to support a loved one with special needs.
• Probate — Shifting assets from someone who has recently passed away to their heirs is conducted under court supervision pursuant to California’s probate laws. Our firm delivers insightful counsel on each aspect of this process, including bringing property into the estate, notifying heirs, making an inventory of assets and debts, responding to creditor claims, paying taxes and dispersing the assets based on the terms of the decedent’s will or the state’s intestacy provisions.

Combining tax and estate planning fundamentals with a solid understanding of real estate and business law, Greg Peterson provides estate planning services designed to protect and transfer clients' wealth in accordance with their specific objectives.

Lawyer prepares power of attorney documents, advance directives and living wills

The goals of responsible estate planning are to project the people you care about and ensure that your objectives are fulfilled. There are other ways to accomplish these objectives as well. Creating a durable power of attorney means that you will have someone you trust serve as your agent for key matters if you are incapacitated by an injury or illness. You can decide what type of authority to give your agent regarding medical decisions and financial matters. When someone suffers severe medical trauma, their family members might have a very difficult time determining what type of extraordinary treatment their loved one would have wanted. Our firm drafts advance medical directives to avert these excruciating decisions and living wills to address end-of-life measures.

Contact a Northern California estate planning lawyer to schedule a free consultation

K. Greg Peterson, a Professional Law Corporation in Sacramento handles all types of estate planning concerns for Californians, including the development of wills, trusts and power of attorney documents. To make an appointment for a free initial consultation, please call 916-443-3010 or contact us online.