We talk about what’s important to keep your family protected. The ones you love.
Estate Planning for Artists, Performers and Creators: Who Controls Your Intellectual Property? If you make your living from your ideas, your image, your voice, your performances or the work you create, a conventional estate plan may not be enough. I know this because estate planning was not my first career. Before I became an estate…
What California Homeowners Search for Most (and the Estate Planning Solution) Buying a home in California is hard. You have to find you, you have to submit an offer that actually get accepted, and then you have to get through escrow. All of these are mountains to climb. Most clients begin with a mortgage…
Newly Married? 10 Estate Planning Questions Every California Couple Should Answer You spent months planning your wedding. You chose the venue, the flowers, the music, the guest list, and perhaps even the seating chart. Now it’s time to plan for the life you are building together. Most newlyweds assume marriage automatically gives their spouse the…
LGBTQIA+ Estate Planning in California Is About More Than Money LGBTQIA+ estate planning in California involves much more than deciding who inherits assets after death. LGBTQIA+ couples, unmarried partners, transgender individuals, chosen families, and LGBTQIA+ parents often face unique legal risks involving medical decision-making, guardianship, housing, inheritance, affirming care, and incapacity planning. Without proper legal…
What Green Card Holders, Financial Advisors, and Lawyers Need to Know If you are a green card holder living in California or advising one, estate planning is not optional. It is foundational. And yet, it is often overlooked or delayed. Not because these clients do not care. Not because their situations are unusually complex. But…
Estate Planning for People Without Children in California Estate planning is often framed as something people do once they have children. Getting pregnant and having a baby is common trigger for estate planning. But we know that estate planning is for everyone. As soon as a person reaches the age of 18, no other…
A Conversation with Estate Planning Attorney Patricia De Fonte, Esq. A collaboration between Sheila McGinn, CFP® at Brightview Financial Solutions and Patricia De Fonte, Esq. at De Fonte Law PC Why I Love Working with Estate Planning Attorneys One of my favorite parts of being a Certified Financial Planner® professional is getting to work with…
7 Estate Planning Risks for Family Law Attorneys We love working with newlyweds at De Fonte Law PC! Most of them do not have prenups, and much of what follows applies to them as they have not had a chance to create community property yet. They are as vulnerable to unintentional disinheritance as are…
How Financial Advisors Can Spot Risk Early and Help Clients Avoid Probate, Conservatorship, and Preventable Failure Financial advisors are often the first professionals to see estate-planning problems, long before a legal crisis, medical emergency, or family conflict erupts. The warning signs rarely announce themselves loudly. Instead, they surface quietly during routine reviews: a trust drafted…
Divorce is not a single legal event. It is a multi-year financial, legal, emotional, and logistical transition. And yet, too often, divorcing clients are guided by only one professional at a time—usually their divorce lawyer—without a coordinated team supporting the full picture. From an estate-planning perspective, this is where things go wrong. During a divorce,…
Let’s start with the truth: estate planning is family work. It answers three core questions in plain English: What about me? Who protects my health, finances, and dignity if I can’t? Who has the keys, medical, financial, and digital, and how do they use them? What about my stuff? How do I avoid probate and…
Independent Trustees in Revocable Trusts for Doctors & Lawyers: Continuity Without Conflicts If your estate plan named a loved one as your successor trustee and agent under a power of attorney without also giving them the ability to appoint an independent special trustee, your medical or legal practice could suffer. Even if they could “figure…
Real estate is the biggest area of confusion for my clients. Deeds are hard to understand; the underlying laws are even worse! A home represents security, stability, and legacy – but most people are not taking steps to protect their biggest and most important asset. When estate planning is not done the right way, property…
Art is more than a creation — it’s a complex web of rights, revenue streams, and decisions that will outlive the artist. As an estate planning attorney in California who works with artists, musicians, authors, and other creatives, I know that protecting intellectual property takes more than a standard trust or will. Before obtaining a…
At De Fonte Law PC, we offer something rare: Estate Planning With Heart®. Our team provides high-touch, highly personalized estate plans that reflect your values, protect your loved ones, and actually work when you need them most. If you’re thinking about creating or updating your estate plan—or you’re a financial advisor, CPA, or attorney looking…
When I got married twenty years ago, I did not give law, insurance, or money any thought at all. I had hearts in my eyes and was so excited to have found my person. We were lawyers, and we didn’t talk to a lawyer, an insurance broker, or a financial advisor. We just got amazing…
Every year, when Pride month rolls around, I find myself grateful. My brother and I grew up in a place where people would roll down their windows and yell “F*****G” at my brother. I worried about his safety all the time, and this worry made me aggressive and over-protective in the extreme at times. When my brother…
If you’re a green card holder living in California, it is essential to understand how your immigration status affects your estate planning. U.S. laws around taxes, trusts, and inheritance are likely different from the laws in your home country, and failing to plan properly can lead to costly legal and tax consequences. In any country,…
Most people think estate planning is for married couples, but single people need estate plans just as much—if not more. Without a plan, the courts—not you—will decide who manages your finances, who receives your assets, and even who makes medical decisions for you. Whether you are a single professional, divorced, widowed, or a single parent,…
You just slip out the back, Jack Make a new plan, Stan You don’t need to be coy, Roy Just get yourself free Hop on the bus, Gus You don’t need to discuss much Just drop off the key, Lee Whether the divorce is a knockdown, drag-out fight to the end or a conscious…
As parents, we often focus on the daily joys and challenges of raising children. From diaper changes to college applications, our days are filled with planning and care. Sleepless nights are a big part of parenting – and one of the things that keeps a lot of parents awake is the thought of the worst…
For couples—whether newlyweds, unmarried partners, or those navigating the complexities of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements—estate planning is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of building a life together. Estate planning is more than just financial; it’s about protecting each other and creating clarity during difficult times. Without it, couples may unintentionally leave their loved ones…
As we close out 2024 and prepare for 2025, many of us are reflecting on the challenges of the past year and setting goals for the future. For some communities, the upcoming year brings significant uncertainties. I am particularly concerned about the implications for the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, and women, in light of potential changes…
Years ago, in a meeting, a client said to me, “Good grief, Patricia. You must have a PhD in Paranoia.” Another client told me I was a “Little dark storm cloud.” Well, this is what happens when you don’t let clients get away with DIY solutions, sweeping problems under the rug, or sticking their…
Estate Planning Awareness Month, which at De Fonte Law PC is every month, is the perfect time to explore why estate planning is essential not only for you but also for the people in your life. Whether you wish to protect your assets and your family’s future or are a professional working closely with clients…
As an artist, performer or influences, your work encompasses a range of unique and valuable assets, each demanding special attention and expertise. Whether you are a photographer, musician, author, painter, or performer, the complexities of managing your creative works can be overwhelming. This blog aims to shed light on the importance of specialized estate planning…
If you own your own business, you are up to your ears in day-to-day operations, supporting your employees, communicating with your vendors and contractors, and, of course, doing your core work of providing services to your clients. If you are a doctor, lawyer, or therapist the way your clients count on you, your expertise, and…
As a doctor, your life is marked by dedication to your patients and the pursuit of medical excellence. However, amidst the demands of your profession, it is crucial to take a step back and consider your personal affairs, particularly your estate planning. Estate planning is not only about distributing your assets after your death; it…
When I think about estate planning and the LBGT+ community, I think of the 1980s. I think about statutes that gave parents automatic authority to make health care decisions for an unmarried adult child and the impact that had on men dying of AIDS and their partners. I think about the inability to marry and…
With tax time behind us, it presents a golden opportunity to ensure that your thoughtful estate plan is comprehensive and fully aligned with your financial landscape. In this blog, we explore how tax time can be the perfect moment to review, adapt, and fully fund your trust, creating a solid foundation for the chapters ahead.…
The goal of any good estate plan is to preserve family harmony. This means making decisions that will last the test of time, having a document flexible enough to allow a successor trustee and an adult beneficiary to make smart tax and asset protection choices, and taking personal relationships and personalities into consideration when assigning roles and naming beneficiaries.…
It’s women’s history month! Estate planning safeguards women – single women, married women, widowed women, divorced women, mothers, women who do not have children, trans women – ALL WOMEN. Rich women, poor women, all women! How Estate Planning Protects Women Incapacity Planning: Who would be in charge of your assets if you could…
Estate planning is not filling out a form, entering information into a database, and signing documents. Effective personalized estate planning must include lengthy and comprehensive conversations with a lawyer who dedicates their practice to estate planning. A good estate planning lawyer will help you spot all types of risks, from being underinsured to caring for…
When you pass away, your family may need to visit a probate court in order to claim their inheritance. This can happen if you own property (like a house, car, bank account, investment account, or other asset) in only your name. Although having a will is a good basic form of planning, a will does not avoid…
Personalization is the key to an effective estate plan. The best estate plan is one that reflects your goals and values, minimizes risk for the beneficiaries, and addresses the specific circumstances of your life. I recently met with a potential client who created his estate plan just after his son was born—he had every…
A Conversation Worth Having With the holiday season just around the corner, why not take some time to have a friendly chat with your loved ones about estate planning? The holidays can be both a tricky and a great time to talk. You need to know whether or not your parents have put together an…
Secure Your Family’s Future: The Vital Importance of Estate Planning for Young Families Starting a family is a wonderful journey filled with joy and love. However, it also brings new responsibilities and considerations. Estate planning is not just for the wealthy or the elderly; it’s a crucial step for parents with young children. Here’s why:…
Most divorce professionals believe estate planning is something to do “after the divorce is final.” But what happens if a divorcing person loses capacity or dies before their divorce is final? Que horror stories! Engaging in estate planning during the preliminary phase of divorce (pre-petition) is optimal, and De Fonte Law PC works with clients…
At De Fonte Law PC, we firmly believe that estate planning is a social justice issue. A family that doesn’t have much can lose everything if they don’t have a personalized estate plan. Estate planning is about who you love, who you trust, and who is counting on you. We all need to give people…
This topic really hit home when clients told us of an elderly auntie with Alzheimer’s, who loved to cook and attend parties, she was diagnosed with diabetes. This led to a family fight over whether to treat her and take away her food or provide her with palliative care and focus on her quality of…
Form Generation Services Recently, we’ve had new clients showed us the trust that they had created with an online form generation service (think Legal Zoom, Rocket Lawyer, Suze Orman). They believed that they had taken care of each other and their children adequately because all the marketing led them to believe that estate planning is…
Estate Planning is for Lovers Advice columnist Ann Landers once observed that “love is friendship that has caught fire.” If that’s true, there are thousands of ways for that blaze to unfold. For many Americans, such devotion and passion do not need to be neatly formalized as marriage. Estate planning for married couples can seem…
De Fonte Law PC loves working with young clients to create personalized health care directives, durable powers of attorney, and simple wills for young adults. We will talk to them about the importance of insurance (umbrella, auto, and renters) and about financial literacy. Our heart-forward holistic approach means that we go beyond the four corners…
The LGBT+ community has demonstrated that estate planning is foundational. Giving authority to people you trust to care for you when you cannot care for yourself. Protecting your partner or spouse’s privacy upon your death. Providing for your children (especially when adoption was prohibited and the laws of intestacy did not apply). Providing for your…
Owning real estate in California is not a simple matter. In the Bay Area’s highly competitive and quickly appreciating market, homeowners often make mistakes. Have you done all you can to protect your home and family? Are you maximizing the benefits of real estate ownership, or are you putting what and who you love at…
Only a revocable trust avoids probate, protects privacy and promotes your values. In California, a will is public on death, provides no control from the grave, and no protection for the beneficiary – exposing your loved ones to creeps, creditors, and predators! Transferring your assets to an up-to-date revocable trust is the best way to…