Sherman Oaks Wills and Trusts Attorney

Creating a will or trust allows you to plan for your family’s future in the event of your death. Ensure these plans are thorough and sound by enlisting the help of a legal professional when drafting your will or trust.

At the Law Offices of Andrew Cohen, an experienced Sherman Oaks, California wills and trusts attorney can walk you through every step of the process. We take the time to get to know your needs in order to tailor our services accordingly.

In California, a will is not the only option you have when deciding how to leave assets to loved ones. You could also set up a trust. This involves appointing a trustee to distribute property and assets that have been placed in the trust according to your wishes when you pass.

Benefits of trust include:

• Allowing your loved ones to ideally skip the probate process and receive their inheritance sooner than through the court system
• Protection of inheritances for a variety of beneficiaries
• Tax benefits in some circumstances
• Enhanced privacy

Those are just a few examples. The specific advantages a trust may deliver can vary based on what type of trust you set up. At our Sherman Oaks trusts and wills law firm, we assist clients in establishing a range of trusts, including (but not necessarily limited to) the following:

• Living trusts: When you set up a revocable living trust, you have the freedom to make changes to the trust during your lifetime.
• Special needs trusts: Although you may want to provide financial assistance to a loved one or family friend with a disability, if you provide too much, they might no longer qualify for certain forms of government assistance, such as SSI and Medicaid. A special needs trust offers guardrails, allowing you to place assets into a trust that someone else will manage on behalf of a person with a disability.
• Spendthrift trusts: This type of trust is useful when, due to factors like age or temperament, someone may not be able to responsibly manage their assets. For example, you could set up a spendthrift trust to leave assets or property to someone who won’t be old enough to effectively manage their inheritance when they receive it. You can give another individual authority to manage their inheritance for them until they reach a certain age.