VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: 

Hello everyone. This is Robert Mansour and today I'm going to make a brief video about how to fill out the estate planning questionnaire and how to go about doing that. So if you go to my website, which is mansourlaw.com, and you click on the button that says "Get Started" at the very top, you will see that it takes you to our "Get Started" page where there is a brief video there. Then you're going to find three steps. Number one - you make an appointment with my office to make sure that we can help you. Step number two is to choose the applicable questionnaire below and that's what we're going to focus on today. You will notice you have three options here - single client, couples and post death. So basically what we're focusing on here today is the questionnaires for single people as well as couples with special focus on couples.

Now you'll notice under each one you have the ability to fill out our secure online form or a printable form. The printable form is obviously just a PDF that you can print out, fill out by hand and send to our office. You can fax it, email it, or just mail it to us. We only ask that you do so and get us all the information a few days before our meeting so I have time to review it. And with the couples is the same thing. You get the secure online form as well as the printable form. Now if you click on the secure online form, it will take you to the questionnaire, which is right here. So I'd like to spend some time reviewing this questionnaire so you can kind of see what it's like to fill out the questionnaire before you have your estate planning meeting.

So at the very beginning you'll see some general instructions. Don't worry if you don't have all the answers to everything. Also, at the very bottom of the form, you will find a place where you can save your work and it will give you a link that you can pick up where you left off. It mails you a link to your email here. It's going to ask you for the date of your consultation, how you learned about my office, spouse number one (usually the person filling out the form), how you want your name to appear in the documents, spouse number two, how you want your name to appear in the documents as well. Basic contact information, mailing address, etc. Let's go to the next page. Now here it asks if either of you have been divorced. If the answer is yes, you click here.

If there's anything in particular that affects your plan, you would indicate so otherwise you can put "No." If you have any prior documents, we'd like to know about those and please send them to our office well before the meeting so I have time to review them. Let's go to the next page. The next section talks about the beneficiaries of your living trust. Who is going to be the beneficiaries of your estate? Here is where you indicate all of that. Now here you can indicate if you have any children from previous relationships. If you click "Yes," it will ask you about that. Otherwise, you just leave it as "No." Do you have any common children? Once again, if you click "yes," you can list the names of the children and the birth date and you can add as many children as you need to add.

Also you would indicate here if you don't want your estate to distribute equally among your children. You can indicate here where you want your estate to go. Also if there will be any distributions upon the first death, how you want your beneficiaries to inherit from you? Anything specific that we need to know? Also important - how much control should the surviving spouse have? So after one person dies, does the other person have full discretion to make changes to the living trust? That is an important issue. Let's go to the next page. On this page, you're going to list who your successor trustees are. These are the people who are going to manage your living trust if you can no longer do so yourself and you can indicate the individual's name and add successor trustees by clicking on this button.

Usually we like people to have about two or three people in line just in case. The executors are the people in charge of your will. The will is a backup to your living trust. If you have a living trust, your will is going to serve as a backup. And then if you have any minor children, you would indicate right here. That is because you may want to indicate who the guardians are of those minor children. If you and your spouse can no longer be parents to those kids, who do you nominate to be the guardians of those kids? Otherwise you leave that as "No." Let's go to the next page. Here is your chance to indicate who the health care agents are going to be.

So part of your estate plan is to indicate who your agents for health care are going to be. And these are not just people who "pull the plug." These people are your advocates - the people who healthcare professionals need to talk to - the people who have access to medical records and each spouse can name however many agents they want, in the order that they want. Usually the spouse is first in line followed by those that you indicate here. And of course, here you can indicate whether you would prefer that your life be prolonged as much as possible or whether you don't want your life to be prolonged on machinery, etc. If you have any preference - cremation, burial, or if you're unsure, you would indicate that.

And any other special health care instructions you might have. Another part of the estate plan is something called "power of attorney" - where you list someone to make decisions for you if you cannot make them yourself. Now these are non-healthcare matters, and there's a lot of things in the world that people might need to help you with that don't have anything to do with health care. And here, spouse number one can indicate who his or her agents are going to be. And spouse number two - again - backups beyond your own spouse. Usually your spouse is number one in line.

Let's go to the next page here. Now this last page is going to deal primarily with assets that you have, which helps me give you tips about how to title your assets. So the first part here is if you have any real estate.  If you say "Yes," then you will have the opportunity to list your real estate right there and add property if you need to do so.

Assets include bank accounts, credit unions, investment accounts, stocks, mutual funds, things like that - life insurance policies, retirement accounts. If you have any business interests of any sort, any other additional assets like annuities, savings accounts, savings bonds, things like that. Time shares.  And if you click "Yes," you will have the opportunity to list those here. I'd like to know a little bit about your primary reasons or goals for creating your estate plan. That way, I can tailor our meeting to those goals and any additional information you would like to add. You can add that here and you actually can upload documents to attach to your questionnaire as well. Once everything looks good, you will be able to submit your questionnaire by clicking on the bottom here. Now, a copy of all your responses will be sent to the email that you provided at the very beginning of the questionnaire.  Thank you so much. I hope you found this overview of the estate planning questionnaire to be very helpful. Again, my name is Robert Mansour, and I thank you very much for taking the time to watch this video.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:

Hello, everyone, this is Robert Mansour, and today I wanted to make a brief video about The Parent/Child Exclusion. When you inherit real estate from your parents, or even your grandparents, frankly, if you inherit real estate from them and they're paying a certain amount of property taxes every year, you can actually keep the property taxes exactly where they are because you are inheriting from a parent or from a grandparent. That is know as The Parent/Child Exclusion. Pursuant to Proposition 58, which was passed many years ago here in Los Angeles County area and California.

What you need to know is that when you inherit, your property taxes don't have to go up, but you have to file the appropriate exclusion forms with the property tax assessor. Now, they might want to see the living trust or other legal instrument that gives you that property, and they want to make sure that this person is indeed a parent and a child relationship. If you don't file that exclusion, your property taxes might go way up. If your parents bought the property in say 1980 and now in present day that property is worth a lot more, your property taxes might skyrocket if you don't file the proper exclusion forms.

Be mindful of The Parent/Child Exclusion in cases where you might inherit real estate from your parents. Thank you very much for watching. 

When it comes to most estate plans, there are four major components. Think of the estate plan like a tool box that has several tools inside it. For example, most tool boxes would have a hammer, a flathead screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, a wrench, etc. The legal toolbox (the estate plan) also contains several legal several tools.

The "hammer" of this legal toolbox is the living trust. The living trust is created by someone called the "Settlor" or "Settlors" if there is more than one person  You might be more familiar with older terms like "trustor" and "grantor." All these terms refer to the same thing - the person who created the trust. You can die 100 times, but you will always be the creator (Settlor) of your own living trust.

The second major player in the living trust is someone called the "trustee." This is the person who handles all of the assets that are in the name of the living trust. When I say "in the name of the living trust," I mean that title to the asset has been changed to reflect the name of the living trust. Your personal property is no longer owned by "John Smith," but by "John Smith's Living Trust" instead. Bank accounts that used to be in the name of John Smith are now in the name of his living trust. I changing title, you are "funding" the living trust with assets. Failure to "fund" a living trust is one of the biggest reasons most living trusts fail.  Think of the trust like a bucket.  The problem is some people have this bucket, but they don't put anything IN the bucket.  An empty trust might be a useless trust. Generally, you will be the initial "Trustee" of your own trust.

The final cast member of this living trust is the "beneficiaries." In the very beginning, you will be the initial beneficiary of your living trust. After you pass away, other people will serve as "successor Trustees" of your trust and ultimate beneficiaries of your trust. Those persons might be your children or other people that you might designate.

The next component in most estate plans is the the "Will." Unlike traditional wills which simply distribute assets to certain people, this type of will serves as a backup to your living trust. It works in concert with your living trust. In the event some assets are not properly titled or don't have the proper beneficiary, such assets are "caught" by the will and ultimately directed to your living trust. Think of it like a big "safety net" that sits under your living trust and catches stray assets that are not properly titled. If all of your assets are properly titled or have the proper beneficiary (depending on the nature of the asset), the will might be unnecessary upon your death.  However, if you need it, it's good to have one in your toolbox.

The next legal tool in the toolbox is something called a durable power of attorney. The durable power of attorney allows those named as your agents to act on your behalf in the event you cannot handle your own affairs. Generally speaking, there are many things in our lives that need to be handled which don't directly involve our living trust. For example, let's say John Smith needs to speak with his wife's credit card company. He needs to demonstrate he has the legal authority to act on his wife's behalf. That's where a durable power of attorney comes into play. Make sure you name people that you trust to handle this very powerful legal tool.  You can imagine that in the wrong hands, this power can be abused.

The final set of documents in the legal toolbox are the health care documents. Generally speaking that includes of the Advance Health Care Directive here in California. In the past, this was known as a durable power of attorney for health care. The more modern term since 2001 has been Advance Health Care Directive. You also want to make sure that your health care documents have all the requisite language regarding the release of medical records to your designated agents. In many cases, it is also helpful to have a separate authorization for the release of your medical records. Some facilities and institutions are insisting on a stand-alone authorization for the release of medical records.

While there are many other tools that go into your estate plan, these are the major tools that most people should consider.  In some cases, one or more of these tools may be unnecessary.  One size doesn't fit all.  Please feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or if you'd like to schedule an initial consultation.

If you create a living trust, you will usually need to nominate two or three people to serve as your "successor trustees" in the event you can no longer manage your own trust. Think of a successor trustee like a "vice president" and you are the "president."  In most cases, you are the initial trustee of your own living trust. If you cannot serve, your successor trustees take over, in the order that you have selected them.

It is certainly acceptable to name more than one trustee.  In fact, many people choose to name "co-trustees" in which case the trustees must generally serve together. Generally speaking, I advise clients to select one trustee at a time since too many "chefs in the kitchen" can cause unintended problems.  

Being a trustee is a difficult job. You have to follow the rules of the living trust and act in the best interests of the beneficiaries. In some cases, the successor trustee may also be a beneficiary. Most people who are acting as the trustee of a trust have never done so before. You have to select people that you know will follow your rules as outlined in your living trust.  Remember that a living trust generally has no court supervision. In fact, one of the reasons people create a living trust is to avoid the court system. So while a trustee doesn't have to act with court supervision, that doesn't mean they get to do whatever they want. There are still some general rules and protocols they need to follow. The California probate code outlines some of those rules and guidelines. 

An estate planning attorney can help a successor trustee after the death of a loved one. How formal the process will be may depend on the family circumstances and other unique issues. Many trustees don't realize they can be personally liable if they breach their fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries. In some cases, if there is enough at stake, some trustees will choose to obtain insurance (yes, they sell insurance for trustees).
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When we prepare an estate plan for our clients, we provide detailed instructions for the successor trustees to follow. Essentially, we tried to give them a step-by-step manual that assists them in resolving the living trust after the client passes away. At the very least, the trustees will have a checklist of things to review and consider. In some cases, not every action item will be applicable, but it's still nice to have such a checklist.  We also ask our clients to bring their successor trustees (or at least their first pick) to their final meeting so we can brief them on the plan and what may be required of them.  The successor trustee can also ask questions during that meeting. 

The most important thing a successor trustee can do is NOT to act impulsively or start distributing all the assets immediately.  The best thing to do is to be methodical and careful. A trustee's actions should be deliberate and done after consultation with an attorney. Even if the estate is very simple, we generally think it is a good idea to meet with the attorney to have an informational meeting. The attorney might be able to advise the successor trustee of issues he/she may never have considered.  When it comes to resolving in the estate, sometimes a successor trustee might do something that cannot be fixed. As such, it is best to proceed carefully and thoughtfully. There is usually no tremendous rush to resolve the estate and consulting with legal and financial professionals is usually the best course of action.

Overall, estate planning generally serves two major functions. First is the function that most people think about: "Who gets my stuff after I die?" However, there is a more important reason to engage in estate planning. That is the second question which is: "Who has the legal authority to act on my behalf?" Most people don't think about this second function, but it is perhaps even more important than the first. It is certainly equally as important.

Most of the time, people just don't die instantaneously. Sometimes there are one or more periods of disability or incapacity where the individual cannot act on their own behalf. It could be a prolonged sickness or otherwise. Having the legal documents prepared in advance allowing those you've chosen to act on your behalf can be extremely beneficial to you and your family.

Most people don't think they will ever become disabled or incapacitated.  However, you never know when something might happen. Do you have the proper paperwork in place? Do you have the proper authorizations allowing access to private medical and financial information? Do you have the latest health care documents? How recent are your documents? If your documents are more than 10 years old, your family may find resistance from certain entities that may not be eager to honor a document that is over 10 years old. In many cases, there is nothing legally insufficient about your documents.  However, that being said, some institutions and facilities are reluctant to accept documents that are more than 10 years old. Many places are concerned about fraud and honoring older documents makes their legal departments very nervous.  Generally, the more recent your documents (especially health care documents and powers of attorney), the more likely they will be honored when the time comes.  I tell clients to refresh their documents every 7 years or so (or if there is a major life change). 

Also, you want to think about long-term care options. If you need long-term care, your family might need to help you qualify for certain government benefits. If you don't have long-term care insurance or don't otherwise have the funds to pay for long-term care, you may need governmental assistance.  For that to occur, your documents need to have the requisite language for those acting on your behalf to comply with all the rules surrounding said benefits. You need to make sure your living trust and durable power of attorney allow you to obtain medical or other government benefits.
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Therefore, It's not just about who gets your stuff after you pass away. That's what most people think is estate planning is all about.  However, you need to make sure people have the legal authority to act on your behalf when it comes to financial and health care matters.

After signing your living trust, you must take some time to know exactly how to use this legal tool.  It's like buying a car - you want to make sure you actually know how to DRIVE the car!  Having a car is great - knowing how to drive it is better!

First, you should realize that you are the creator of the trust. This person is most often known as the "Settlor" (also known as trustor or grantor). You are also the initial "Trustee" of your own living trust. The people who take over when you cannot be the trustee anymore are known as your "successor trustees." You are also the initial "beneficiary" of your own Trust. At some point, while you will always be the creator of your living trust, you will not always be the trustee and you certainly will not always be the beneficiary of your own Trust.  When you can no longer handle your own affairs, your named successor trustees will take over (in the order that you have designated them). Also, after you pass away, your assets will pass to those designated as beneficiaries of your living trust. 

During your lifetime, it's business as usual and you are in control of your living trust and all the assets in the name of your living trust. The trust is revocable and amendable during your lifetime. Consider it a "stand by" vehicle that helps you avoid the court system not only while you are living but also upon your death. 

Whether or not your living trust helps you avoid the probate process depends on whether or not you actually take the time to re-title your assets in the name of your trust. Many people create a living trust but never re-title their assets. Also, while some people do take the time to re-title their assets, they forget to put later acquired assets in the name of the trust. If you refinance your real estate, make sure you re-title the property correctly. Don't depend on the mortgage company or lender to do this for you. At the very least double check!

Having a living trust is helpful. Knowing how it works and learning how to use it is a very helpful exercise to undertake.  A living trust doesn't have any magical properties.  You need to understand how it works and how to best utilize it.  

People often wonder about probate court. probate court is simply a branch of the court system. You may have heard of Divorce Court, Bankruptcy Court, Criminal Court, Juvenile Court, Etc. These are all "branches" of the court system, and probate court is simply one of those branches.

The probate court not only handles post death matters dealing with the distribution of assets, but probate court also handles post death disputes between families, beneficiaries, etc. People could be fighting about something as simple as who was supposed to get Grandma's vase!  Sometimes, people are arguing about more important matters - like why they were written out of the estate plan or why they got a lesser percentage than they thought they should get.

The probate court judge essentially serves as a referee, making decisions about many post-death matters.   Depending on the size of your estate, and whether or not you have any estate planning documents (such as a living trust), the probate court may have to get involved in your affairs. After all, your assets may not "magically" transfer to your beneficiaries.

In some cases, some assets will simply pass by way of a designated "beneficiary." Typical examples of such assets include life insurance policies and retirement accounts. The only thing required on such assets is an appropriate beneficiary designation. This is accomplished by designating one or more beneficiaries on a form that is provided to you by the retirement account company or the life insurance company.  Usually there will be a "primary" beneficiary and then a "secondary" or "contingent" beneficiary.  They don't care what your will or living trust says. All they care about is who is on the beneficiary form.

Speaking of beneficiaries, you can also name beneficiaries on certain bank accounts. If all your assets simply pass by beneficiary designations, the probate court doesn't have to get involved at all.  While beneficiary designations are convenient, they don't go as far as a living trust might go and certainly don't provide as much guidance and protection for your beneficiaries.  However, in some cases, naming a beneficiary is the most efficient path to take.

Avoiding Probate Court may involve a combination of tools - such as a living trust and appropriate beneficiary designations. All you have to do is examine each asset that you have and make sure that it passes to your heirs one way or the other - there is no perfect solution - that's why it's called an "estate plan" and NOT an "estate fool-proof plan." 

In many cases, a living trust would be a better solution.  In other cases, naming beneficiaries is best. Finally, in many cases, a simple will might be all your need. What the best method/s might be in your particular situation is part of the planning process. It is usually a combination of methods that will help achieve the best result.​  Sit down with an estate planning attorney and focus on which methods would be best in your situation.  Avoiding probate is great, but it's better if you really know what you are doing and the pros/cons of each approach.