Estate planning and your rights

If you have any assets— a home, savings accounts, pension, or retirement funds — an estate plan is important to direct what happens at the time of your death. Many people believe that estate planning is only for the rich, but it can benefit anyone with children, assets, or an interest in directing their health care in the event of incapacitation. If you have children, property, or an interest in directing your health care, an estate plan would be an important asset for you and your family.

We will take the time to explore your estate planning options and tools, including simple wills, trusts, conservator or guardianship, living wills, power of attorney, special needs trusts, and health care directives. An estate plan will determine what happens to your home, assets, investments, business, or insurance at the time of incapacitation or death. Our attorneys will explore your rights and options to devise an estate plan tailored to protect your estate, your family, and your health.

Probate, administration, and litigation

When you lose a loved one, addressing the issues of probate, administration, and any disputes can be challenging. Even when the will is uncontested, it can be difficult to know what steps to take to properly administer an estate and prevent personal liability.

At Herrig & Vogt, our attorneys are experienced with probate, the legal process to admit a will into the court. During the probate process, a personal representative or executor will have control of the property, take an inventory of assets, handle all estate taxes, pay off debts, and distribute assets to rightful heirs and beneficiaries.

If you were designated a personal representative, are a beneficiary facing a dispute, or you want more information on the probate process, our firm can help. We have extensive experience in the complexities related to probate and administration and can protect your rights. If you are a personal representative, it is important to work with an attorney who can protect you against personal liability for mistakes made in the probate process.

To speak directly with our lawyers, please call us at 916-367-0815 or Contact Us to arrange an initial consultation. Based in the Sacramento area, we serve clients throughout California.