ESTATE PLANNING BASICS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

A free community education talk by Attorney Myra J. Prestidge, Law Offices of Myra J. Prestidge, Santa Cruz CA.  Topics discussed will include:

*What is a will, what is a trust, and when is it better to do a trust?

*What is probate and how can you avoid it?

*How you can nominate a guardian for your minor children in your estate plan, in case both parents pass away before the children reach adulthood;

*How you can plan for the care of your pets after you are deceased;

*How a trust can help you avoid a conservatorship if either you or your spouse becomes incapacitated and needs help managing finances;

*How a special needs trust can help you provide for a loved one who is disabled and receiving public benefits, such as Medi-Cal or SSI, without causing your loved one to lose his/her public benefits;

*How to appoint someone you trust to manage your medical care and finances if you become incapacitated by doing an advance health care directive and financial power of attorney;

*How you can state your wishes for end-of-life care in an advance health care directive so your family and loved ones will not need to guess what you want.

*What is the estate tax and how upcoming changes in the law may affect you.

The California advance health care directive form will be available at no cost for persons attending the talk.