Thompson Von Tungeln Legal Blog

You are probably thinking to yourself “Why in the world would my 18-year-old need an estate plan?” Many people assume that an estate plan is only a will or a trust. However, in the state of California, that couldn't be further from the truth. Let's paint the picture:  Tears are falling down your...

It's true what they say: you can't take it with you. So, what happens to all of your personal possessions and properties when you pass? It's important to take time while you are still alive to start estate planning. What Is An Estate? An estate is the culmination of all possessions owned by someo...

We want to know we did everything to help take care of our loved ones when we pass. Taking the time to build a thorough and thoughtful trust can help secure your legacy and provide for your family after you are gone. This blog will break down the five most popular kinds of trusts. Revocable Livi...

There are several benefits to planning your estate early on and knowing the financial future of both yourself and your loved ones is secured. The only possible issue in doing so is the risk of having an outdated estate plan should the unexpected occur. Below you will find a guide to help determin...

While a will is a very popular method of passing an estate to one's beneficiaries, a revocable living trust is arguably a better option. Our California estate planning team tells you everything you need to know about this useful tool below. What is a Revocable Living Trust? A revocable trust is e...

Trusts and wills are both estate planning tools that essentially allow someone to designate what happens to their property when they pass away. While they might seem similar at first glance, they are implemented quite differently. Our Lancaster estate planning team tells you everything you need t...

At Thompson Von Tungeln, we'd like to congratulate our founding partner, Mark E. Thompson on his retirement. For more than 40 years, Mr. Thompson faithfully served his clients, and our team is proud to continue helping residents of the Antelope Valley at the firm he founded. Any of Mr. T...

At Thompson Von Tungeln, we'd like to congratulate our founding partner, Mark E. Thompson on his retirement. For more than 40 years, Mr. Thompson faithfully served his clients, and our team is proud to continue helping residents of the Antelope Valley at the firm he founded. Any of Mr. T...

A power of attorney is a legal document that allows you to appoint a person or organization to manage your property, financial, or medical affairs if you become unable to make decisions for yourself. However, there are several types of power of attorney that work to achieve separate goals. Below,...

Unfortunately, when people think about estate planning, they often think first or only of a Will. Even in mainstream media, they most often talk about a Will, that so and so is being “cut out of the Will”, or some well-known celebrity's Will is being contested or fought over by a spouse or distan...

Being designated to manage or administer the assets of a trust or succeeding a trust can be a heavy burden to bear. Below, we offer guidance as to what responsibilities a trust administrator holds, as well as ways to better perform these duties. What is Trust Administration? Trust administration ...

Planning your estate is one of the biggest steps you can take to safeguard the future of your loved ones. Even though a last will and testament can succeed in transferring assets to heirs and beneficiaries, they are not able to avoid issues found in probate, estate taxes, or protect your interest...

The Trustee acts as the legal owner of trust assets, and is responsible for handling any of the assets held in trust, tax filings for the trust, and distributing the assets according to the terms of the trust. For our clients who have set up a Living Trust, you are the Trustee of your own Living ...

With the coming of the Fall season, we are also about to head into a time of year filled with a number of holidays where we might be around and with family. This is always time of year that I advise my clients to consider having some often difficult, but necessary, conversations with their loved ...

The government may be trying to get their hands into your and your loved ones' pockets again – – and in a VERY BIG way! I am not going to predict which political party will win the November election and control the Presidency, Senate, and House. But I do need to let you know what may happen ...

As the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly affects our everyday lives in unprecedented ways, our legal team at Thompson | VonTungeln A P.C. has been getting calls from clients of all ages and background who are finding themselves contemplating whether their important estate affairs are in order in case the...

You may be under the assumption that a durable power of attorney will prevent the court's involvement at incapacity- A durable power of attorney lets you name someone to manage your financial affairs if you are unable to do so. However, many financial institutions will not honor one unless it is ...

There are numerous reasons I love LegalZoom. Here are a few: First, my ideal estate planning clients do not use LegalZoom for their estate planning. The people who use LegalZoom would never go to a lawyer who is not dirt cheap. Unfortunately, experienced estate planners are not dirt cheap. Theref...

Please take a moment and check out the short article in the link below. Awareness is the first step in stopping crimes against our elderly citizens. Crimes against the elderly are epidemic in our society. www.caring.com/blogs/fyi-daily/top-scams-against-older-adults Caring.com is a great resourc...

Many individuals lead active, virtual lives. They are on gaming sites, social networking sites, have online financial capability, and are active on online auction site. What impact can these activities have on their estate plan? It depends on how familiar the executor and heirs are with the onlin...

Legal planning and estate strategies seem a smart move for those with large estates that take much planning, but what about the family who doesn't have much of an estate to transfer? What about those with minimal estates? How can they avoid probate? Thankfully, probate can be avoided no matter th...

This development could have major implications for our clients. As an estate planning lawyer, I am constantly asked for advice on whether someone should buy Long Term Care Insurance. If this writer is accurate, it will most definitely make LTC less attractive in the future. Read the article here...