How to Get Organized to Meet with Your Estate Planning Attorney You have decided to meet with an estate planning attorney to get your affairs in order and ensure that your loved ones are protected. Now that you have scheduled the appointment, it is time to get yourself organized and prepare for the first meeting. […]

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In Orange County and throughout Southern California, real estate is often a family’s largest asset. Many homeowners purchased property decades ago for a fraction of its current value. Today, that same home may be worth several million dollars. That appreciation creates opportunity, but it also creates risk. The difference between what you paid for a […]

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People often have a ready list of reasons—or depending on how you look at it, excuses—for putting off completing their estate plan: “I just haven’t gotten around to it yet”; “I don’t own anything of value”; “It’s too complicated”; “It’s too expensive”; “My family can handle things when I’m gone”; or “I’ll wait until I’m […]

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Key Takeaways Introduction In California’s coastal cities—especially high-value areas like Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and Irvine—real estate often represents the largest asset in a family’s estate. As home values have risen sharply over the decades, so too have the risks and complexities involved in transferring these properties to the next generation. At The Soto Law […]

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Blog Summary: Building generational wealth isn’t just about smart investments. It requires a fundamental shift in how you think about inheritance, educate your children about money, and plan for the long term. Read more… Many families focus on building wealth, but fewer think about keeping it. Research shows that a majority of wealthy families lose […]

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The course stretches out around you, lush and perfectly manicured. You step up to the ball, take a few practice swings, and inhale the morning air. It is a shot you have made hundreds of times—but, as with golf and your estate plan, there’s no guarantee you’ll get it right every time. Golf, like life, […]

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If you’re wondering who needs an estate plan, the answer is simple: you do. Why? Because everyone age 18 and older needs one. It doesn’t matter whether you’re old or young, have built up considerable wealth, or are just entering adulthood—you need a written plan to control what happens to the things you own and […]

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Rising housing costs, the desire for companionship, and the need to share resources are increasingly leading buyers to consider co-owning a home with someone other than a spouse, such as a friend, relative, or significant other. Although this arrangement can be beneficial on several levels, it should be approached with open communication, careful planning, and […]

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As a general rule, a person’s debts do not go away when they die. Some types of debt, such as federal student loans, are typically forgiven upon the debtor’s death, but private loans and cosigned accounts may still be owed after the debtor has passed away. State laws also play a role in handling a […]

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When Ian Burke, a mail carrier from Denton, Texas, heard that Floyd—a 70-pound dog he’d befriended on his delivery route—had ended up in a shelter after his owner’s death, he didn’t hesitate. Burke arrived at the City of Denton Animal Shelter before it opened to be first in line to adopt Floyd and give him a […]

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