Estate Planning
Make your wishes clear and provide for your loved ones.
If you are alive, you should have some kind of estate planning. Parents with young children should nominate appropriate people to serve as guardians in their absence. Unmarried couples should appoint each other as co-agents to ensure they can act on each other’s behalf. Owners of real property should ensure that a responsible successor trustee will look after and secure the property upon their passing. Everyone should ensure that their last wishes are clear and enforceable.
Law Office of Ravi Patel provides a straightforward estate planning process. Whether you need a simple will and transfer on death deed, or a full revocable living trust, we can help you plan to meet the needs of you and your family.
Call (510) 443-0443 for a no-cost consultation, or follow the link below.
What is estate planning?
Estate planning is the process of preparing for the management and distribution of your assets after you pass away, or if you become incapacitated. The goal is to ensure that your wishes are carried out, minimize taxes, and make the transition of your estate as smooth as possible for your loved ones.
Key components of estate planning typically include:
Wills: A legal document that outlines how you want your assets distributed after your death.
Trusts: A legal arrangement where a trustee manages assets on behalf of beneficiaries. Trusts can help avoid probate (the legal process of distributing assets), provide privacy, and offer more control over how and when assets are distributed.
Power of Attorney: A document that designates someone to make financial or legal decisions on your behalf if you become incapacitated.
Healthcare Directives (Living Will): A document that outlines your medical treatment preferences if you are unable to communicate your wishes, including life support or end-of-life care.
Call (510) 443-0443 for a no-cost consultation, or follow the link below.
What are the benefits of estate planning?
Having an estate plan provides numerous advantages, ensuring your assets, healthcare decisions, and family are properly taken care of during your lifetime and after your death. Here are some key benefits:
Clear Distribution of Assets
An estate plan allows you to specify how your property, assets, and belongings will be distributed after your death. Without an estate plan, your estate may go through the court-administered probate process, which can be lengthy and expensive. Your assets may not be distributed as you intended.
Avoiding Probate
Probate is the legal process of settling an estate after someone’s death. With an estate plan, especially through the use of trusts, you can avoid probate, which can be time-consuming, costly, and public. Assets held in trust can be passed directly to beneficiaries without court involvement.
Healthcare and Medical Decisions
A comprehensive estate plan includes documents like a durable power of attorney for healthcare and a living will, allowing you to appoint someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so due to incapacity.
Providing for Minor Children
If you have minor children, an estate plan allows you to designate a guardian who will care for them if something happens to you. Without an estate plan, the court may decide who will raise your children, potentially against your wishes.
Dispute Prevention
A clear and well-structured estate plan can help reduce confusion and disputes among family members. By clearly outlining your wishes, you can avoid potential conflicts and ensure that your assets go to the intended beneficiaries.
Overall, an estate plan is a crucial tool for ensuring your assets are managed according to your wishes, your family is provided for, and your health and financial decisions are handled appropriately if you cannot manage them yourself.
How long does it take to prepare an estate plan?
Most estate planning clients can complete the process within a month.
About Ravi
Ravi is a probate attorney with experience representing families, businesses, and public agencies. Ravi’s practice focus on trust litigation and Heggstad Petitions. Ravi files Heggstad Petitions for successor trustees in all 58 California counties. Ravi also represents beneficiaries in trust litigation matters, including to remove unprofessional trustees or to contest the terms of validity of trust documents. Ravi has recovered $10 million+ of trust property for its rightful owners, and he looks forward to helping you today.
Before starting the Law Office of Ravi Patel, Ravi was a Deputy City Attorney for the Oakland City Attorney’s office, where he represented the City in tax and finance matters. Ravi assisted the City’s creation and implementation of its cannabis business taxation program, progressive business tax rates, and vacant property tax. Ravi also represented the City in multiple bond issuances to refurbish City facilities, streets, and parks.
Ravi began his career at the law firm Klein DeNatale Goldner in Bakersfield, California. There, Ravi represented public agencies, including water districts, school districts, community services districts, and library districts. Ravi also worked on various civil litigation and commercial transaction matters for private and public companies. Ravi was closely involved in the initial implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
Ravi enjoys baking, hiking with his wife, Priya, and film photography. In 2022, Ravi and Priya welcomed their first child.
Education
Juris Doctor, cum laude, Duke University School of Law, Class of 2014
Bachelors Degree, University of California, Berkeley, Class of 2010
Blog Posts
Nominating Guardians for Minor Children
Don’t delay, prepare your estate plan and nominate guardians to take care of your children if something happens to you.
What’s in a Will?
Wills are the foundation for any comprehensive estate plan. Learn about the essential features of wills and how to begin your long-term planning.
Community Property and Estate Taxes
Most couples don’t track their separate and personal property, but the distinction can become crucial when one spouse dies. Learn some tips and tricks for guarding the fruits of your marriage.
Three Reasons Not to Create a Living Trust
Living trusts are a great option for many people. But if your estate primarily consists of your home, or you do not own a home, a trust might be overkill. Learn about situations where other estate planning devices can be cheaper and simpler than a living trust.
How do I disinherit my sibling?
Consider adding these terms to your estate plan if you are considering disinheriting a troublesome sibling.