By Brandon Johnson
Contributing Writer
Photography by Brandon Johnson
“Our motto at the Law Offices of Antoinette Middleton is ‘Plan While You Can.’ We have a passion for helping families avoid the lengthy, costly and often contentious probate process.”
On June 25th at the Jacobs Center, attendees had an opportunity to come out and get educated on all of the ways to properly take care of their estate and family. Learning the different types of legal ownership as well as information on navigating the probate process and the the costs associated, gave guests a much needed wake up call about systems and policies of which they were unaware. Some of the major topics discussed concentrated on the 7 Threats to Your Family Security: 1. Losing control/access to your assets. 2. Not Knowing the Law 3. Not Knowing Your Predators. 4. Your Health Fails. 5. Failing to Plan When You Can. 6. Not Working With Qualified Professionals. 7 Don’t Know Costs.
“As an attorney, I frequently see cases in probate court where a Will or Trust is being contested due to
allegations of elder abuse or undue influence,” says Middleton. “ Also there are a fair number of cases where unintended beneficiaries end up taking a share of a person’s estate because there was no Will or Trust. Our Bucket List workshop and others are designed to educate families on the importance of being proactive in creating their personal estate plan to first preserve a higher quality of life as they age, and then to pass on real estate and other assets to loved ones without court intervention. People are living longer; however, illnesses such as diabetes, stroke and Alzheimer’s are causing many to become disabled or incapacitated. Therefore people should create estate plans while they’re still healthy. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Dianne Jacob and Dave Roberts recently stated in a press report that “Alzheimer’s is reaching epidemic proportion. It’s taking a toll on San Diego County households and the healthcare system and is the third leading cause of death in the county. According to the supervisors more than 60,000 area residents suffer from Alzheimer’s, and 80 percent are cared for at home. Therefore early estate planning with a qualified attorney, not a document preparer, is more important than ever.”
Get the information you need to “plan while you can” by registering for our next Estate planning workshop at the Jacobs Center on Tuesday July 29, 2014 from 6 pm – 8 pm. Advance registration is required by calling 619-235-9501 ext. 301 or visiting our website at www.lawofficesofam.com
