It’s common for people to feel sentimental about the family home, especially if they have fond memories of growing up there. However, it’s important to…
Conservatorship: The Basics
I don’t often have conservatorship consultations, but I saw that later this week, somebody booked me to talk about conservatorship and whether it is the…
The Tale of the Secret Probate: a Dispute over $1 million
What happens when someone opens and closes probate in secret? What follows is based on fact, but at the time of this article, I do…
Probate Tips: Things to do before you list the real estate for sale.
On KNZR every Saturday at 11 a.m. and every Sunday at 8 a.m., Laurie McCarty hosts the “Kern County Real Estate Review.” Today’s topic: Probate…
The Last Minute Estate Plan: For People Who Are Going Into “Surgery” Tomorrow
An unexpected phone call A man called me today. He goes into surgery tomorrow: “I’ve drafted a power of attorney, I just need someone to…
Transferring Property by Affidavit of Death
To transfer real property, one needs a deed, but occasionally, the owner of the property has already been named on a recorded deed. What the…
Reduce the Cost of Administration with a Spousal Property Petition
If your spouse or domestic partner passed away, use this trick to reduce the cost of probate or avoid probate altogether. Use a Spousal Property…
In what county do I hire a Probate Attorney?
The legal term for “where” a probate action occurs is called the “venue.” So, what is the proper venue for your probate action? Yesterday was…
Creative Problem Solving in Probate Sales
Leah Nelson is a Bakersfield Realtor with a special certification: Probate & Trust Specialist. We ate lunch at Sequoia Sandwich Company and discussed our experiences in…
Elder abuse is not always easy to identify
I’m a law clerk, and I spend 80% of my day working on Probate and Estate Planning matters. (Estate Planning is the way people avoid…