AfterVault Blog
Which Documents To Safely Store in Crisis Situations (Checklist)
In the midst of the biggest pandemic since the Spanish flu, all of us are thinking more and more about our families. We’re all hoping that those close to us will be okay. COVID 19 came like a storm and has shown us that unexpected events can upset everything in our...
Where Is My Money? Trust Accounting – You Are Entitled To Ask For It (Video)
Estate Planning Attorney Stefanie West talks about trust accounting from a beneficiary's perspective.
What You Need To Know While Creating Living Trust For Yourself
A California living trust is an authoritative archive that puts a few or the majority of your benefits in the control of trust amid your lifetime. You keep on having the capacity to utilize the advantages, for instance, you would live in and keep up a home that is set...
Last Minute Estate Planning? – This Is What You Can Do (Video)
Estate Planning Attorney Stefanie West talks about last minute Estate Planning changes and what you can do when you need something changed right away, but you are very short of time. Here are the links for the sites Stefanie talks about in this video. California...
California Estate Planning Laws You Need To Know
No matter where you reside, it is necessary to have basic estate planning documents in a systematic manner like a will, medical directive and reliable power of attorney for handling the finances. Bay area California is a prosperous state and it has high real estate...
Bad Excuses For Not Making an Estate Plan: “I’m Not Rich Enough”
Those of us who deal with estate planning for a living get to hear a range of interesting excuses from those who haven’t yet created an estate plan. These excuses can range from puzzling, to frustrating, to downright bizarre. Almost none are valid in the face of the...
Are All Wills The Same? (Video)
Estate Planning Attorney Stefanie West talks about the two different kinds of wills.
Pet Emergency Plan: Disaster Preparedness for Your Pets (Infographic)
There are hundreds of millions of pets in the U.S. alone. The joy they provide their owners and families is unlimited. What greater pleasure than watching your pup or kitten grow, sharing memories with it and your family? Recently we have been contacted by Mike...
Inspiring Tips For The Holidays (Video)
Estate Planning Attorney Stefanie West talks about the importance of "Giving with Warm Hands" and "Putting Pen to Paper" as two ways to give and communicate, instead of waiting until after your passing.
Guardians For Money And To Raise The Children: Differences (Video)
Estate Planning Attorney Stefanie West talks about guardianship for a child. There are two different guardianship for minors, one for the finances and one for the person. Learn why that is.
What Does It Mean To “Fund” A Trust? (Video)
Estate Planning Attorney Stefanie West talks about what it means to "fund" a trust and why it is so important to complete the paperwork to support this step, when setting up a trust.
Prince left a mess. Do you have the same problem?
Prince, Tupac Shakur, and Kurt Cobain left their vision and their life work in the hands of...well..whoever was assigned by the court after they died. Certainly not a person chosen by them to handle their legacy. Your blogs, selfies, Facebook posts, and videos...
Till Death Do Us Part? Making The Most Of Your Inheritance (Infographic)
We would like to share with you one more great infographic. Here you can find out important stats about inheritance and what could be the consequences of not making a will. We hope you would find it helpful! Don`t forget that you can safely store all of...
Living Trusts vs. Wills – What’s The Difference?
Do you know the difference between a will and a trust? You’ve probably heard these terms but do you know what sets them apart and whether you need to have both? As we mentioned before, your will is a part of your estate plan. The same can be said for the trust, but...
Less Than 25% Of Australians Have An Up-To-Date Will
Not long ago we talked about the fact that only 42 percent of U.S. adults currently have estate planning documents such as a will or living trust.. The situation in Australia is quite similar with only 55% of adults having a will. In this article we’d like to...
Probate – What You Need To Know
Estate planning is a complex matter with lots of uncommon and hard to grasp words. An example is the word ‘probate’. Do you know what it is, how long it takes, and if you can avoid it? In this article we’ll share our knowledge on this topic. What is probate? Simply...
How To Protect Your Important Documents During A Natural Disaster
Unfortunately, natural disasters a part of our lives and we will usually have little to no warning before they strike. This year was no exception, with the wildfires in California destroying more than 600 homes and Hurricane Lane in Hawaii forcing people to evacuate...
Top Estate Planning Mistakes : Relying Only On A Will
In our previous article we discussed what can go wrong if you don't update your will. In this article we look at another major estate planning mistake. If you think that having a will means that your estate planning is complete, then you are wrong. On the image below...
How Does Divorce Affect Your Will?
In our previous article we talked about how important it is to make sure we update our will every time an certain big life event happens. Having an outdated will can be one of the top estate planning mistakes most of us make. Marriage and divorce are two of the...
Top Estate Planning Mistakes : Having An Outdated Will
A couple of months ago we wrote an article about the top reasons to update your will (The Top 10 Reasons to Update Your Will ). As we discussed there, it is really important to update your will if there has been a major change in your life, such as giving birth,...