What Happens If We Cannot Find a Will?

What happens if we cannot find a will?

By The People FAQs

• Are BY THE PEOPLE Personnel attorneys? No, we are not attorneys. We are Legal Document Assistants. In California, we are a licensed and bonded profession.

• What if I need legal advice? You can always consult with an attorney of your choice. We can provide you with a referral for an excellent local attorney who specializes in cases similar to yours if you have questions we cannot answer for you, or your situation is more complicated than our services are meant to help with.

• Do you have a Notary Public? Yes, whenever we are open we have a Notary Public on staff. If you are a BY THE PEOPLE customer, all Notarizations of your documents are included in our fees. If you have documents not prepared by BY THE PEOPLE, we charge $10.00 per signature you need notarized, in Cash Only. You must sign the document in our presence and provide valid photo identification.

• Does BY THE PEOPLE handle Criminal Matters? No, we only handle uncontested civil matters. However, if you would like to contact us, we may be able to refer an excellent local attorney to you.

• I need to have my documents prepared immediately. Do you have Rush or Same-Day document preparation services? Yes, we can prepare certain documents within a few hours, if necessary. Rush and Same-Day services are available for the following documents: Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, Deeds, LLC and Incorporation Articles. A modest Rush Fees will apply to these services.

• How long will it take to prepare my documents? The documents we prepare at BY THE PEOPLE are typed specifically at your direction. All documents are then rigorously proofed to ensure you receive the highest quality legal documents available anywhere. Most of our documents are prepared and ready for you to sign within one week, depending on your situation. 

For more information please visit http://bythepeopleca.com/

How To Have A Good Divorce

The end of any relationship is always tough, but getting divorced magnifies the struggles further. While we often see divorces turn nasty, whether witnessing it personally or on the media, it doesn't always have to go bad - all it takes are shits in perspective. In today's episode, I'll be sharing tips on how you can come out of your divorce emotionally unscathed!

Conservatorship Information

A conservatorship is a court proceeding that grants one or more people the authority to make financial or health care decisions for another because of a mental or physical incapacity that renders a person unable to make informed and sound decisions.

A conservatorship can be over the person, the estate, or both. The person appointed by the court to make decisions is called the conservator, and the person about whom decisions will be made is called the conservatee.

Conservators are generally family members or a professional conservatorship company and in some cases, the Public Guardian's office may be appointed. Regardless of who the conservator is, their duty is to act solely in the best interests of the conservatee. To insure this, court evaluation, supervision and monitoring of the conservatorship is established.

The Advantages of an Uncontested Divorce

Many states these days give couples the ability to go through a simple uncontested divorce. In fact, this is the way most couples do divorce. It's relatively simple and inexpensive, and it preserves both parties' dignity and privacy.

Divorce is expensive no matter how you slice it, but if you do need to get a divorce, an uncontested divorce will let you save yourself time and money, and as much heartache as possible. This situation is difficult enough, and you don't have to make it more difficult to make the divorce itself contentious unless it's absolutely necessary to do so.

If there are particularly contentious issues in your marriage still to be resolved (such as child custody), then an uncontested divorce may not be the way to go, since of course you'll need to make sure your rights and those of your children are taken care of. In fact, in some states, if there are children involved, an uncontested divorce may not even be an option for you.

However, if you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse are on relatively good terms and simply need not to be married anymore, and if issues such as child custody are already worked out between you, then an uncontested divorce is going to be easier for everyone. Yes, the process of getting divorced is still painful, but an uncontested divorce makes it as simple a process as possible, too.

Privacy is also an issue with divorce. The disclosures you make to each other don't have to be a matter of public record unless you each want them to be if the divorce is uncontested. The agreement you make will have to be a matter of public record, but only that. By contrast, contested divorce is likely to have every single little nuance of the divorce a matter of public record simply because spouses in a major battle with each other make such things a matter of public record. So if you want to protect your privacy, work out the details of the divorce between you and simply make the final agreements a matter of public record, not every little discussion you to have had as well. This is easier on your children, too.

If you think you can't negotiate an uncontested divorce with your spouse, that's fine. Perhaps you can't. However, make sure that your spouse and you are both aware of the problems an uncontested divorce can help you avoid. It may very well be that simply faced with the differences in navigating through a contested divorce versus an uncontested one will convince the spouse who doesn't want the uncontested divorce to go through with it.

Now, it should be noted that you don't have to agree as to why the divorce is happening to make it uncontested. You only have to agree on the terms of the divorce to make an uncontested divorce possible. Therefore, at first blush, it may certainly be true that you think you cannot manage an uncontested divorce. However, after a bit of time has gone by and tempers have cooled, you may think that having an uncontested divorce is best for you after all. Think about it, think about the cost both financially and to your children, and then decide whether or not an uncontested divorce is your best bet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jon_Arnold/41272

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Power of Attorney

Rene at By the People in Fairfield CA talks about just some of the reasons for a need for a Power of Attorney. These documents can be really important aids in helping loved ones.

For any questions about the types of Power of Attorney, and what may be beneficial for your individual needs, call Rene or Tammy at 707-428-9871 and visit the website at http://www.bythepeopleca.com

Can Anyone Else Revoke a Power of Attorney I Have Granted?

Can anyone else revoke a power of attorney I have granted?

The Benefits of Legal Separation

Legal separation and divorce are very similar and they hold basically the same legal functions except for the fact that with a separation, you do not terminate your marital status. When a couple decides to become legally separated, it is not merely a verbal agreement. They can't simply say that they are not in love anymore and one of them will move out of the family home. Instead, they must go through the same process as couples who wish to undergo a divorce.

In a legal separation, the same issues will be addressed as in the termination of a marriage. The couple will have to sort out issues relating to asset division, property division, child support, child custody, visitation and spousal support payments (if there are any). The couple will also have to decide who will pay which debts as well.

There are a number of reasons why parties choose this rather than divorce, and the reasons are usually personal. People can choose separation for religious reasons, personal beliefs, health insurance concerns, or other financial reasons.

Oftentimes couples will decide to remain married for one of two reasons: either for the sake of their children or for a financial reason. For example, if a non-employee spouse has a pre-existing medical condition or some other serious medical condition; they may need to stay on their spouse's medical insurance so they can keep getting necessary medical care.

In some cases, the couple may need to remain legally wed until they reach the ten-year deadline for certain Social Security benefits. This holds true for the ten-year deadline for military enforcement advantages or, the twenty-year deadline for PX and commissary benefits.

There are another substantial benefit and reason why people choose legal separation and it has nothing to do with health insurance or money. They may be unsure if they really want to end their marriage; therefore, the time apart offers them a "cooling off" period where they can have time to think about what they really want. They may realize that they really do love each other, and later decide that they want to get back together. It's a lot easier to get back together after legally spending time away from one another as opposed to having to go through the process of remarrying.

Religion and culture can play a significant role in why couples decide to separate instead of divorcing altogether. In certain religions, divorce carries a negative stigma that many couples wish to avoid. With legal separation, the couples can enjoy all the material benefits of a divorce without having to deal with the negative stigma attached. Separation does not allow for remarriage unless the marriage is terminated through a divorce, but it can be assumed that people who part for religious reasons don't plan to remarry anyway.

In many cases, it is more affordable for the spouses, especially when the dependent spouse relies heavily on their spouse for medical insurance. When you factor in the quality of life enjoyed through the marriage, along with how much money it would cost for the dependent spouse to take out their own medical coverage (similar to what their spouse has been carrying), then it can be reflected in the alimony payments. Sometimes it is less expensive and allows the dependent spouse to remain on the health insurance, as opposed to paying them larger alimony payments, thus saving the expense for both parties.

Getting a separation in California does require some legal paperwork and going through the court system. The same as in a divorce, you want to have a qualified attorney representing your best interests when handling important matters such as child custody, child support, asset division, property division, and possibly spousal support payments. If you would like to enjoy the benefits of a legal separation, contact a skilled and knowledgeable divorce attorney without delay!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Gary_D_Dabbah/1201035

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How To Divorce Peacefully

Divorce is never easy but there is no reason for it to destroy both of you. Watch this video as Dr. Paul Jenkins enlightens you to go to a better option of having your divorce peacefully and specific ways on how you can do it.

Features of a Revocable Living Trust

Financial advisor Ric Edelman discusses why a revocable living trust is a key part in the estate planning process.

How Does a Trust Work?

A trust may not be right for everyone, but they may play a key role in proper estate planning!

The Top 5 Effects Of Divorce On Children

We all know that eventually some people grow apart, and eventually end up in divorce. It may be a sad time but sometimes it is for the best. But what about the children? What happens to them and what are the effects of a divorce on them? Let's talk about that in today's episode.

What is a Living Trust?

A living trust, created while you're alive, lets you control the distribution of your estate. You transfer ownership of your property and your assets into the trust. You can serve as the trustee or you can select a person or an institution to be the trustee.