PRACTICE AREAS
Estate Planning
Thinking about death is a difficult topic, but if you own assets or have any other wishes you want to see followed through, estate planning is necessary. Not only does it outline inheritances, but it also encompasses end-of-life medical decisions, business succession, and any charitable donations you wish to make.
Other documents our attorneys will help with are drawing up living wills, trusts, power of attorney documents, and a letter of intent. Whatever your needs, our attorney will work closely with you to develop a comprehensive plan to protect your assets so your grieving loved ones can minimize dealing with legal issues, such as probate or paying tax liabilities. Your plan will ensure your wishes are carried out as you intended.
Living Trust
You may want to plan for your assets and set up a trust for your heirs, but still want to have access to your assets during your lifetime. In this case, our attorneys often recommend setting up a living trust. A living trust empowers you to maintain control of and have the right to use any money, property, and other assets you own while you are still alive. A significant benefit is that a living trust also establishes how your assets will be automatically distributed after your death to the heirs you choose.
Wills
Every legal adult, regardless of age or financial status, should write a will in the event the unthinkable and unexpected happens. When you put a will in place, you not only ensure the distribution of your assets will go to your chosen loved ones, but you also make certain the guardianship of your minor children will go to a person you select, not one chosen by the state.
When you sit down with the Law Office of Eric W. Johnson, we’ll carefully go over the details you should include in your will, such as where your assets will go, who assumes care of your minor children, the individual you want to administer your will, and any other last requests you want to include. We understand death is never an easy topic to discuss, but having a will is important. It’s better to have a document in place while you are of sound mind and can express your wishes.
Trust Administration
Most people like to ensure everything will be in order upon their death. It’s not an easy subject to think about, but setting up trust administration provides you with a peace of mind and ensures the terms of your trust(s) will be carried out explicitly as you wish after your passing.
As the settlor, you can establish a way to easily transfer ownership of your assets through the creation of trusts. At our law firm, we’ll sit down with you and go over the complexities associated with setting up trust administration. The state of California has specific requirements associated with trusts and, at the Law Office of Eric Johnson, we will make sure everything is in proper order. This way, your interests are protected and your trust is administered correctly.
Power of Attorney (POA)
If you are at least 18 years of age, you can establish a power of attorney. This document empowers you to designate another individual to legally handle your financial or healthcare matters in the event you become incapacitated and are unable to speak for yourself. Power of attorney documents aren’t one-size-fits-all documents, there are three types of POAs you can establish in California and each one has its own focus.
Our lawyer will meet with you to discuss your situation and determine which POAs would best suit your needs. You may want to provide a loved one (your chosen agent) with broad decision-making abilities or limit them. Or, you might want to split financial and healthcare decision-making authority amongst different people you trust. We’ll go over your options and help you draft your POA documents so you can rest assured your financial and healthcare matters will be thoughtfully taken care of in the event you can no longer do it yourself.
Trust and Probate Litigation
Trust and probate litigation issues can be frustrating. Unfortunately, sometimes legal action must occur because a person inherited money and didn’t receive their rightful inheritance due to a trustee failing to perform due diligence when carrying out the instructions tasked to them. Other times, challenges arise due to suspicions of property being wrongfully taken from a trust or other problematic issues with beneficiaries.
At the Law Office of Eric W. Johnson, we firmly believe trusts and inheritance issues should be organized and clearly stipulated to avoid lengthy probate processes. Sadly, the reality is that even when trusts and wills are properly created, problems do arise. When it does, our Chula Vista attorney is here for you. Whether you’re a beneficiary or a trustee, we can help you navigate the complexities that tend to emerge with these types of legal problems.
Probate
Probate is a lengthy and difficult court-supervised process. Going through probate in California can be particularly cumbersome with its rules, which can vary from county to county. Unfortunately, probate is not just time-consuming, it can cause conflict between family members (or other inheritors) and lead to emotional duress for the family members left behind.
If your loved one passed away without any sort of estate plan or only left a will, probate is an unavoidable process. The Law Office of Eric W. Johnson is highly experienced with California’s probate process and will work with you to complete the necessary steps to help you complete probate, get your inheritance, and move forward.
Bankruptcy
Financial troubles can occur when you least expect them. Either an unforeseen loss of a job, medical or surgery bills, or mounting credit card debt can put a heavy strain on your financial status. Bankruptcy is typically not the first place you start, but it may reach a point where you need to file. The Law Office of Eric W. Johnson has high knowledge and lengthy experience dealing with the procedures associated with filing for bankruptcy.
Our attorneys will help you determine which type of bankruptcy you should file and then guide you through from start to finish. We possess expertise and knowledge in both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Our promise is to work hard to position you in the best financial position possible at the other end of the bankruptcy process and begin your life again with a clean slate.
Real Estate
Real estate is an important part of business, whether it’s buying, selling, leasing, or leasing out a property. Working with an experienced attorney can help make certain your interests are protected. As a part of the services the Law Office of Eric W. Johnson offers, we will work with your company to make certain contracts are in order and that your transaction goes smoothly. Have an individual real estate issue that you need help with? Our attorneys have you covered. We will meticulously go through the particulars of your real estate transaction and make certain everything is in the correct order.
Whether you need commercial or individual help tending to your real estate issues, our attorneys are well-versed in California law. We’ll deal with contracts, zoning, development plans, property rights, property use, leases, and any other real-estate issue that you face.
Law Office of Eric W. Johnson
