Judd Matsunaga was very knowledgeable and pleasant. He made us feel comfortable, not rushed or pressured. We now have a Will and and Estate Plan.
W. Simpson
Judd Matsunaga was very knowledgeable and pleasant.
Reply
Mr. Matsunaga was very adept and helpful in advising
I was very concerned about how to transfer the majority of my assets without incurring capital gains taxes as well as estate taxation. Attorney Judd Matsunaga was very adept and helpful in advising me as to the best procedures to accomplish my family’s objectives which included the transfer of our primary residence into Trust. I Judd to be sincerely concerned with our needs.
G. Cusimano
Judd Matsunaga has done and continues to do an excellent job for my family.
Judd Matsunaga has done and continues to do an excellent job for my family. He has the most current information available on complex estate planning issues and has given us excellent advice on what choices are available. Then Judd took care of everything and set it all up for us. It was quick and painless! Judd has such a great personality, that we actually had fun doing all of this. Imagine that! I recommend Judd to all the people in my life that I care about.
T. Batey
Working with Judd Matsunaga on Asset Preservation for our children
We went to see Judd Matsunaga at Elder Law Services of California a few years ago, as our closing attorney for our new home. It was pretty much like sitting down with my dad. Sandy and I felt really comfortable with Judd. Recently we realized that our wills were not complete and Judd Matsunaga made this a quick and simple process. We are currently working with Judd on Asset Preservation for our children. Judd makes all of this seem so simple and we have enjoyed all of our meetings with him.
Andy & Sheila K.
Very Satisfied with advice from Judd Matsunaga
I was referred to Judd Matsunaga for my estate planning needs and I can honestly say that I have been very satisfied with his advice and work product. The people at the Elder Law Services office were a pleasure to work with. I am presently referring another client to Judd Matsunaga without hesitation. Not only did Judd complete my estate planning needs for a very reasonable fee, he referred me to a financial planner that I will be using.
- Winston L.
Judd Matsunaga is a great professional attorney
Judd Matsunaga is a great professional attorney. That’s all I can say.
- Larry A.
Estate Planning to Preserve Your Family’s Wealth for Generations
Through the use of Living Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Irrevocable Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships, and Charitable Gifting Strategies, Judd Matsunaga of Elder Law Services of California helps families preserve their wealth for future generations, minimize estate taxes, and avoid the expense and headaches of probate.
When it comes to estate planning, one of the most common concerns is how to properly manage estate taxes. Judd Matsunaga will help you plan for inheritance and all tax issues related to inheritance. Judd will make sure you have a plan that protects you and your family for years to come. Depending your your needs, we may use a combination of the following estate planning tools to define your estate plan:
* Wills: A simple will may be enough to protect your interests and provide for your family. We will let you know what a will can do for you.
* Trusts: There are a variety of trust options available for individuals and families, including revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts for the benefit of any disabled person, trusts for the benefit of children, and trusts for the benefit of pets.
* Financial Power of Attorney: By establishing a power of attorney, you can put your assets, finances, and even health care decisions in the hands of someone you trust.
* Advance Health Care Directive: You may reach a time when you are not in a position to make a decision regarding your own health care. By establishing a health care directive, you can make sure your best wishes are honored.
* Asset Protection: There are a variety of asset protection options beyond traditional wills and trusts. We can help you explore the possibility of incorporation or LLC and LLP formation for estate planning.
* Guardianships and Conservatorships: We help families obtain guardianships and conservatorships for loved ones who are no longer able to care for themselves and their property or make sound legal decisions.
* Durable Power Of Attorney: You may request that we draft a durable power of attorney which is awritten legal document that lets you esignate another person to act on your behalf, even in the event that you become disabled or incapacitated.
Probate
Probate is a legal process for settling an estate in accordance with the will of the deceased. Assets owned and registered in the individual name of the deceased that do not already have a beneficiary—including cash, investments, personal property, and real estate—make up what’s called the “probate estate.” These assets are controlled by the will and “pass through” the probate process in order for ownership to be transferred. All other assets “pass outside” the probate process.
Size of Estate
The manner in which estates are settled varies from state to state, but options also vary according to the estate’s overall value. A large estate generally involves having the state’s probate court validate the will or certify that the deceased died intestate which means ‘without a will’.
Settling a large estate also involves fulfilling other administrative matters, called “probating the estate.” Sometimes smaller estates can be settled through a more informal means of administration.
Judd Matsunaga is devoted to handling his clients’ advanced estate planning needs. If you have questions regarding the planning of your estate, or if you are about to start planning your estate, it is in your best interest to speak with a qualified attorney.
Call Judd Matsunaga, an experienced, estate-planning attorney at Elder Law Services of California today at (800) 403-6078 or send an e-mail to info@ elderlawcalifornia.com , and we will contact you to set up a free, initial consultation.
Judd Matsunaga Answers “What Is Medi-Cal Planning?”
Medi-Cal Planning is about asset preservation. The high costs of nursing home care have been the cause of many middle-income families losing their homes and life savings. With Medi-Cal planning, those families could have preserved their major assets and could have had their nursing home bills paid for by Medi-Cal.
Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid health care payment program. It is funded jointly by the state and federal governments. Medi-Cal is designed to pay for the medical care of those California residents who have very limited income or resources. However, with some planning, people in the middle-income tax brackets can qualify as well. Medi-Cal planning is complicated and often times the rules are updated each year. There are many rules governing which assets a person can keep, which assets can be transferred and to whom, and how much can be transferred at one time. If Medi-Cal Planning is done incorrectly, then it could lead to a period of ineligibility or disqualification. Elder Law Services of California has expert elder law attorneys available to provide you with a free consultation if you or a family member are considering applying for Medi-Cal.
The expert elder law attorneys at Elder Law Services of California can help you through the application process and design a plan for you that will preserve the maximum amount of your assets and income. Some accountants and financial planners will attempt to provide the same services for their clients. However, they may not know the intricacies of this area of law and are not authorized to give legal advice. Call attorney Judd Matsunaga today at 1-800 403-6078 for a free consultation.
Judd Matsunaga Discusses ‘Paying For Long-Term Care’
Some people are able to pay for long-term care out of their own funds while others were able to get long-term care insurance before they became ill. Unfortunately, most people who need long-term care have already become ill and as a result can no longer obtain long-term care insurance. They are also unable to pay for the cost of long-term care themselves without depleting all of their life savings and having to sell their other assets, including the family home. People who find themselves in these circumstances are forced to look to public benefits programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, for help.
The attorneys at Elder Law Services of California who specialize in elder law can help you through the application process and design a plan for you that will preserve the maximum amount of your assets and income. Some accountants and financial planners will attempt to provide the same services for their clients. However, they may not know the intricacies of this area of law and are not authorized to give legal advice. Call attorney Judd Matsunaga today at 1-800 403-6078 for a free consultation.
Asset Preservation through Medi-Cal Planning
Judd Matsunaga’s emphasis is on Medi-Cal planning and preservation of assets, revocable living trusts, special needs trusts, powers of attorney and medical directives.
Because of the increasing costs of skilled nursing care, Judd provides expert legal advice on how to qualifiy for Medi-Cal by using legal strategies to preserve assets through transfers, gifting and conversion. Judd Matsunaga prepares all of the necessary legal documents to accomplish qualification and preservation.
Judd Matsunaga provides comprehensive Medi-Cal Planning and Estate Planning services which provide you the opportunity to state your personal desires for health care and the handling of your financial affairs during your lifetime and to direct to whom your assets will be distributed upon your death. These services include the preparation of revocable living trusts to avoid probate, estate tax avoidance trusts, irrevocable trusts, wills, powers of attorney for financial affairs, medical directives, special needs trusts for disabled children or adults, and all the related documents required to ensure that your wishes and needs and taken care of.