My Spouse Just Died. What Do I Do Now?

We receive this call often: “My spouse just passed away.  What do I do now?” During this understandably difficult, jarring time for the person calling, we help them get organized, and stabilized, in the following areas:   Mental Health When did the spouse pass away?  If it’s very recent, the caller is likely to be […]

How does probate law work in California?

What is the purpose of probate? The purpose of probate is to get someone’s affairs in order after they’ve passed away if there’s a need for court supervision. Generally, this means that they passed without a Will, or that they did have a Will but didn’t have a Living Trust, or they left assets (like […]

What happens to property if someone dies with no Will?

Property with no Will If someone dies without a Will, there are a few possible outcomes for their property.  If the property was held in a Living Trust, it would go to the listed beneficiaries, typically without probate court involvement. If the property was held with another person or people under right of survivorship (joint […]

How to Buy or Sell Probate Property in California

Introduction – Probate Property If property is not held in a Living Trust when its owner passes away, probate is often required for that property. While an estate is being reviewed in probate court, property in the estate may be sold in order to cover debts that can’t be paid with existing estate funds. The […]

Avoid a Probate Nightmare

What happens to your estate when you die without a trust? It ghost through probate. What is probate? If you pass away without a Trust, your family may have to go through court to determine what will happen to your estate. This process is called probate. What’s so spooky about probate? There’s nothing scarier than […]

Client Success Story: A Way Forward

Sarah’s (name changed to preserve confidentiality) mother passed away leaving her and her nieces and nephews (children of Sarah’s deceased sibling) the generous gift of a home.  Thankfully, Sarah’s mother created a trust naming Sarah as the Successor Trustee, so there was no need for probate. Unfortunately, the home had a reverse mortgage with a […]

Top 5 Probate Myths

Myth #1.  Probate is Always A Nightmare While probate definitely can be a nightmare (as it was for Dave’s family), it doesn’t have to be.  When probate is handled effectively and efficiently, the process can move relatively quickly and predictably for everyone involved. Myth #2.  Probate is Purgatory for Property This one is tricky: during […]

Introducing SuccessionLegal®

Dear Friends, Exactly nine years ago, I started Singh Law Group with the goal of providing empathetic legal guidance to families navigating the loss of a loved one or planning for death or incapacity. In the years since, it’s been a privilege to work with hundreds of families and to connect with countless colleagues and […]