Coachella Valley Estate Planning Attorney

The Coachella Valley is well-known as the home to multiple winter resort cities, including Palm Springs and Indio. It’s also the location of the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Attorney Christopher Heritage offers Coachella Valley clients estate planning, probate, trust administration, and family law services.

Contact a Coachella Valley Estate Planning Attorney

Estate Planning Services in Coachella Valley, California

Taking time to create a comprehensive estate plan can help you protect your assets and ensure that your beneficiaries receive them according to your wishes after you pass away. The estate planning process is more complex and thorough than many people realize. In addition to a last will and testament or a trust, your estate plan should include legal documents to help you if you become incapacitated and unable to manage your financial affairs.

Creating an estate plan can seem overwhelming, especially because it will involve making emotional and financial decisions about your future. When you work with attorney Christopher Heritage, you can rest assured that he will use an empathetic approach as he guides you through the final decisions you'll need to make as part of your estate plan.

The future arrives more quickly than many of us anticipate. Many people assume that only those of advanced age or with significant assets should create an estate plan. On the contrary, it's wise for all Coachella Valley residents over 18 to create an estate plan. You may benefit from a will-based or a trust-based estate plan. Attorney Christopher Heritage will carefully review your financial situation and goals to advise you on the best strategy for your comprehensive estate plan.

Special Needs Planning

When you work with attorney Christopher Heritage, you will be able to benefit from his decades of experience creating customized estate plans tailored to his clients' needs. Every estate plan is unique and should work for the benefit of the estate planner. For example, estate planners with special needs children benefit from creating a special needs trust.

Attorney Christopher Heritage has helped many families protect their loved ones with special needs through estate planning. If you leave your family member with special needs a lump-sum inheritance, they may become ineligible for important public benefits, including health care. Creating a special needs trust will ensure that your loved one is provided for while allowing them to remain eligible for public benefits.

Business Estate Planning

Individuals who own a business will benefit from effective estate planning. Many small-business owners do not have a business succession plan in place. If the owner of the business becomes incapacitated or passes away, it can be difficult for surviving family members to keep the business thriving. Attorney Christopher Heritage has an in-depth knowledge of business succession laws in California. He will help you implement these laws effectively so you can transfer your business and allow your family members to continue providing for themselves with a financially healthy business.

High-Net-Worth Estate Planning

Individuals with high-net-worth estates that include real estate, businesses, high-value trusts, and more benefit from a custom estate plan that protects their assets. High-net-worth individuals have to navigate complicated regulations, estate tax planning, and appointing the right trustee. An attorney can help you manage the high net-worth estate planning process, making it as smooth as possible. 

One of the goals of high net-worth estate planning is to minimize your state taxes by understanding your gift, state, and generation-skipping transfer tax limits. An attorney can also help you minimize liability from creditors and lawsuits. Attorney Christopher Heritage has helped many high-net-worth clients discretely create comprehensive estate plans that protect their assets.

Probate/Estate Administration

The California Probate Court oversees the distribution of a person's assets when he or she passes away. The process of going through the probate court can be expensive and time-consuming, especially when the deceased individual had a large estate with complex assets. Attorney Christopher Heritage can help you avoid the probate process all together by creating a trust-based estate plan. You can create a trust that allows you to distribute the assets in your estate automatically to your beneficiaries independent of the probate process.

Attorney Christopher Heritage also helps individuals who have been named as a state executor. acting as an executor comes with certain legal duties, and it's important that you administer the estate well following California laws. Many different legal conflicts can arise during the probate process. One or more family members make and test the will's validity or claim that you are not acting in good faith. When you work with attorney Christopher Heritage, you can rest assured that he will help protect you as you navigate the estate administration process.

Estate Tax Planning

Minimizing tax liability is one of the main goals of estate planning. California does not have an estate tax yet, but some legislators have shown interest in taxing estates larger than 2.5 million for individuals. Estate planners need to prepare for federal estate taxes. Currently, estates valued at over $12,060,000 will be subjected to a federal estate tax with a top tax rate of 40%. With the right estate plan, you may be able to avoid estate taxes by making tax-free gifts to your loved ones now, reducing the value of your estate.

Schedule Your Free Consultation with a Coachella Valley Estate Planning Attorney

Look no further than Heritage Legal, PC if you are seeking a savvy Coachella Valley estate planning attorney. Founding attorney Christopher Heritage will help you move through the estate planning process smoothly and efficiently. Contact Heritage Legal, PC today to schedule your free initial consultation.