Law Offices of Daniel E. Hanley
Estate Planning - Probate - Elder Law - Real Estate

Over 30 years of legal experience

1091 Lincoln Ave
San Jose, CA 95125
Telephone: (408) 293-0344
Facsimile: (408) 977-1552
dan@hanleylaw.com

San Jose, California, Estate Planning Attorney

Most people don't like to think about dying. That's understandable. However, no one knows what the future holds. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us, and making plans for your estate now - while you still can - is not only smart, it's essential to preserving your memory and ensuring your assets and belongings are distributed according to your wishes.

Not thinking about the future and how your estate will be handled is a serious mistake that can leave many unresolved issues for your family and loved ones to deal with.

Estate planning not only makes things easier for your heirs after you have died, it can be used to benefit your own interests while you're alive, should you become unable to make financial and health care decisions on your own.

At the Law Offices of Daniel E. Hanley, we have been helping Californians make solid estate planning decisions for more than thirty years. Contact our San Jose, California, estate planning attorney today to take the first step toward peace of mind. We'll listen carefully to your needs and goals, then custom-tailor a plan that is designed to meet you and your family's needs.

We can ensure that by structuring your estate, we accomplish the following:

• distribute your estate to family, friends, or charities according to your wishes
• avoid the expense and hassle of probate with a living trust
• save on "Death Taxes" and "Income Taxes" using various trusts to preserve assets
• avoid, or at least minimize, legal problems such as challenges to wills and trust administration

California Living Trusts

The easiest place to begin is with a Living Trust. Our Santa Clara County estate planning lawyer can structure a living trust designed to accommodate your family situation. Our office employs the following process to ensure that your needs are met:

• We insist on an initial face-to-face meeting with us. In this meeting, we discuss your objectives and answer your concerns.
• Once we agree upon a plan to suit your needs, we quote a firm fee at that time.
• We prepare the documents and mail, fax, or email (whichever is most convenient for you) them for your review.
• After your review and consultation with the office (usually by phone), final documents are prepared for signing. At signing, we provide witnesses and a Notary Public at no extra charge.
• After signing, we process the documents, including transferring real property into your Living Trust to avoid probate. The appropriate documents will then be mailed to you for your records.We can keep the originals in our safe at no extra charge.

In sum, just 2 to 3 meetings will take care of the Estate Planning process. If you ever have a question regarding your trust, feel free to contact the office by phone at no extra charge.

Updating the Trust

From time to time, the Trust may have to be amended because of family or financial reasons. Trusts are easily amended; therefore, we only charge our usual hourly rate for any trust amendments (plus any costs such as recording fees). During the time the trust is in effect, you are free to conduct business in the normal manner.

Contact Us

If you have questions about how an estate plan can work for you today and in the future and protect your assets for your family and other loved ones, please do not hesitate to contact our San Jose estate planning attorney. Call today or contact us via e-mail by filling out the form on the Contact Us and someone from our office will be in touch.

Located in San Jose, California, estate planning and real estate attorney Daniel E. Hanley serves Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, and Alameda County, including the cities of   Campbell, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Redwood City, Fremont, Morgan Hill, and Gilroy.

Law Offices of Daniel E. Hanley

1091 Lincoln Ave
San Jose, CA 95125
Telephone: (408) 293-0344
Facsimile: (408) 977-1552
dan@hanleylaw.com