California Heggstad Petition

When a person's property has been placed in a living trust prior to death, that property can be transferred directly to heirs and beneficiaries upon death without the time and expense of a probate proceeding. However, sometimes people fail to include all of their property in the trust before they die. When this happens, a simplified form of probate known as a Heggstad petition may be available in California for property left outside of the trust. While a full probate proceeding takes a minimum of seven months and costs up to 6 percent of the property, a Heggstad petition can be completed in two months and often costs less than $1,500.

At the Law Offices of Artin Yadegarian, we help heirs and beneficiaries prepare a Heggstad trust petition. Please contact us for a free consultation. We are here to help you with all your estate planning needs.

Is it worth it?

Is it worth it to hire an attorney to draft your estate planning documents?

According to Kiplinger.com, its worth it. Kplinger.com has posted a 10 question quiz about whether its worth it.

One of the questions is about wills: Is it worth it to hire an attorney to draw up a will? Kiplinger.com says yes, it is worth it to hire an attorney. Take the quiz yourself and find out!

Free Foreclosure Counseling Clinics on May 2

In observance of Law Day 2009, LACBA Barristers--in partnership with Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, and Public Counsel--will provide free counseling to members of the public who are experiencing mortgage problems to determine whether loan modifications are possible, whether fraud was involved in the loan, and other steps to take in resolving mortgage issues. Volunteer attorneys will be present at three locations on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Come learn:

• if loan modification may be possible for you
• whether fraud was involved in your loan
• what next steps to take
• what other documents you need to solve your mortgage issues
• watch out for foreclosure scams

Saturday, May 2nd - 10am to 1pm @ 3 locations

1. In the South Central Area (12021 S. Wilmington Ave., Los Angeles 90059)
   
2. In the Downtown LA Area (1145 Wilshire Blvd., 2nd Floor, Los Angeles 90017)
   
3. In the San Fernando Valley Area (13327 Van Nuys Blvd., Pacoima 91331)

I WILL PERSONALLY BE ATTENDING THE COUNSELING CLINICS AS A VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY. COME SAY HELLO!

If you prefer a more private one-on-one consultation, call us at 818-649-8501 for a free and confidential consultation.

The American Bar Association has recently published a book entitled Estate Planning Forms authored by L. Rush Hunt.

Here is a description of this book:

An estate plan can have several elements--a will; an assignment of power of attorney; a living will or healthcare proxy; and in some cases, a trust. As an estate planner, you must be mindful of both federal and state laws governing estates when assembling plans for clients. Estate Planning Forms, by L. Rush Hunt, covers all elements of estate planning in detail with easy-to-follow, time-saving forms.

This book empowers attorneys to establish trusts to reduce estate and gift taxes and to distribute assets to the heirs without the costs, delays, and publicity of probate court. The primary purpose of Estate Planning Forms is to ensure that the greatest amount of the estate passes to the estate owner's intended beneficiaries. With the guidance in this book, you will be able to offer greater protection of your client's assets from creditors and lawsuits.

Includes the following forms:

• Letters of engagement
• Privacy notices
• Powers of attorney
• Wills
• Pre and Post-marital agreements
• Trusts

For your estate planning needs, contact the Law Offices of Artin Yadegarian at www.yadegarianlaw.com or call 818-649-8501.

10 Estate Planning Moves To Make Now

Here is a Forbes.com quick comprehensive graphic article on 10 estate planning moves everyone should be making now. Forbes even includes a calculator that will tell you where your assets will go if you die without a will. Click HERE for the full graphic article.

For a preview of the Article by Forbes.com, here is one of the ten estate planning moves suggested by Forbes.com for everyone to make.

Give annual gifts to kids and grandkids --- "If you feel financially secure enough, one simple way to pass assets to your family free of state or federal estate tax is by making annual gifts. For 2009, you can give anyone you want (and as many people as you like) up to $13,000 in cash, stock or property without worrying about federal or state gift or estate taxes. Noncash gifts--say a cruise you treat the kids and grandkids to--count against the $13,000. You can also pay your grandkids' tuition or medical bills, without worrying about gift tax, so long as you send the check directly to the school or health care provider"

Making Home Affordable program

A new Obama administration program is designed to fix the problem for millions of homeowners. Borrowers whose loans are owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac could be able to get quick refinances for up to 105% of a home's value.

According to an article by the LA TIMES, here is how the program works: In the past, the federal Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage programs would only handle loans of up to 80% of your home's value, unless you bought mortgage insurance. With the new Making Home Affordable program, through June 2010, borrowers whose loans are owned or guaranteed by Fannie or Freddie may be able to get quick refinances for up to 105% of a home's value. They must be current on their mortgage payments, but administration officials estimate that as many as 5 million homeowners qualify. And refis are available for borrowers with credit scores as low as 620.

For detailed information about how the Making Home Affordable program works, visit http://makinghomeaffordable.gov, a federal website that explains the refi program.

For the complete article by the LA Times about the Making Home Affordable program, visit latimes.com.

For a free legal consultation regarding loan modification, visit the Law Offices of Artin Yadegarian.

Green Burials

The goal of a green burial (or a natural burial) is to return the body to the earth in a manner that does not inhibit decomposition and allows the body to recycle naturally. It is an environmentally sustainable alternative to existing funeral practices.

A conventional burial in the United States typically involves embalming, a casket made of hardwood or steel, and a concrete grave liner or vault. A green burial in contrast, usually entails a biodegradable wrapper and no embalming. The grave is typically marked by a flat memorial stone or other grave marker such as a tree or other planting.

Whether you prefer a conventional burial, a green burial or even a cremation, contact the Law Offices of the Artin Yadegarian at 818-649-8501 or visit us on the web @ www.yadegarianlaw.com. We have the experience in drafting the proper documents to provide your burial instructions.

For a partial list of green cemeteries in the United States, CLICK HERE.

Starting a Business

For those who want to start a business but don't have the extra funds to hire an attorney for legal advise, the California Secretary of State website has a step by step guide for starting a business.

CLICK HERE for the link.

Call the Law Offices of Artin Yadegarian @ 818-649-8501 for a FREE CONSULTATION or visit us on the web at www.yadegarianlaw.com.

We will help you with corporate formation, corporate upkeep and business transactions.