With Your Family in Mind

Many people associate “estate litigation” with contesting someone’s Will or Trust after that person has died.  In my law practice, I investigate financial fraud that happens in many different places.  It often only comes to light after a death, when it is revealed that all the money is gone or the Trust says it goes to someone who shouldn’t have it. 

You’re rushing out of the office on a weeknight, hoping to get your daughter to soccer practice on time, cook dinner and help your other child with their homework.  Just as you hit the road, your cell phone rings.  It’s the pharmacy telling you that the two prescriptions your father needs immediately are ready for pick up.  Or you’re off to your son’s school play just as your mom’s neighbor calls to inform you that she has fallen again and needs you right away.

Right now many are facing tough financial times and may be thinking of raiding their retirement accounts.  But no matter how tough circumstances get, it’s important to try and keep one’s hands out of the retirement funds.

“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.”  — Marcus Aurelius Antoninus

At the precipice of divorce one can look back and probably follow a trail that led from courtship to marriage and parenthood, fueled by the desire to connect through warmth, understanding and shared intimacy.  This “positive” intimacy engenders love, compassion and trust.  Somewhere along the road “positive” intimacy shifted to “negative” intimacy.  Motivation is then fueled by disrespect, indifference and mistrust leading to conflict, anger and isolation.

Many individuals and couples considering bankruptcy wonder whether they qualify for bankruptcy, especially with the confusion brought on by the massive overhaul of the bankruptcy code in 2005. 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is one of the largest non-profit organizations in the United States, with self help, support, and advocacy groups in every state, including Puerto Rico.   NAMI has many programs to help families, including the following:

DivorceCare–The class format is a weekly DVD seminar with discussion and then a support group time.  There is also a daily workbook for you to go through that will enhance what you saw on the DVD seminar. 

How to Recognize Warning Signs of Dementia
We often joke about being forgetful and misplacing the car keys or the television remote control.  I know people that even routinely call their own cell phone at home just to track down the ringing sound to locate where it was misplaced.  However with seniors, forgetfulness can be frightening and even dangerous.  Sometimes it may even be signaling a more serious underlying issue —Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. 

Under California law, employers with two or more full-time employees, including the owner are guaranteed group coverage should they choose to purchase it, regardless of the health status of the employees.  To qualify, employers need only have been in business longer than two months, comply with insurer requirements regarding the employer’s contribution and employee participation, offer coverage to all eligible full-time employees, have not committed fraud against the insurer and continue to pay their premiums.

If a person has a living trust, and successfully transferred his assets to his trust during his lifetime, then no probate is necessary to transfer his assets to his heirs at his death. The successor Trustee will take over management of the decedent’s assets immediately so that she can pay the decedent’s debts and distribute his assets to the proper beneficiaries.

Many people who aren’t addicts suffer from addictive personality.  An addictive personality describes someone who has a high vulnerability to participate in behaviors they may, or may not, consciously know are wrong for them.  These are often called bad habits or negative behavioral patterns.  The most common ones are:

California’s legislature has told us that, “the mother and father of a minor child have an equal responsibility to support their child in a manner suitable to the child’s circumstances” (Cal. Fam. Code section 3900).  They have developed the child support guideline, a strictly applied formula, which looks at parental timeshare and financial circumstances to direct the courts about how to impose that responsibility.  As parents navigate the family court system, they will generally find themselves with a support order to ensure both parents are contributing to the support.

Limelight Healthcare is dedicated to treating patients like family in a supportive and caring environment.  Their goal is to provide quality homecare using full-time, part-time and live-in position caregivers. For 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Limelight wants to help.  With an extensive list of services offered, you won’t be disappointed. 

to Adopt Older Children and Sibling Sets as Part of Child Specific Recruitment Project with Los Angeles County

When an individual or family decides to adopt a child, most people request a newborn or toddler-aged child.  However, there are more than 10,000 youth, ages 14 and older, in Los Angeles County who desperately need and want a permanent, safe and loving place to call home.

At Santa Clarita Christian Fellowship we believe that as the father goes and as men go, so goes society.  The Christ-centered father is the backbone and the foundation upon which successful families are raised and the key to developing the next generation of leaders, husbands and providers.  Society is experiencing rapid changes and men are often frustrated and confused regarding their place, purpose and role within this new dynamic. 

Greetings!
Here it is, halfway through the year already.  Things have been very busy at City Hall and I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you some of our recent activities and give you a preview of what’s coming up.

Have you ever wondered what it would take to become a foster parent?  Fostering is a wonderful experience, but many people don’t know how to get started.  Here is an abridged list of what is required for foster parent certification.

When a client comes to my office for a divorce consultation, one of the first issues to be considered is whether the marriage can be saved.  Generally, in order to try to save the marriage, both parties should be willing to go for marriage counseling.  They must also be willing to consider how their own behavior has contributed to the failed marriage.  If they want to exclusively blame their spouse and take the position that they are not willing to change, the prospects of saving the marriage are not very good.