Free No-Obligation Consultation
510-527-6774
Free No-Obligation Consultation
510-527-6774
Since 1975, the Davidson's have been helping California families protect their loved ones through all stages of their lives. Estate planning attorneys Steven and Eric Davidson are also members of the WealthCounsel national network of estate planning attorneys, ensuring that their clients get the most up to date legal expertise possible.
Steven and his son Eric are the firm's attorneys, while Joelle (Steve's wife of over 45 years), is the voice of the firm and handles client services. This arrangement works extremely well, creating a cohesive office environment allowing us to give our clients unparalleled personalized representation and communication that is often missing in larger firms.
Our main office is in Oakland City Center, with branch offices in Berkeley, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, San Jose, and San Mateo.
Additionally, home or health care facility meetings can be arranged if necessary.
Estate planning, trusts, and probate are intricate areas of the law that can have unintended, costly, time consuming, and sometimes disastrous consequences if done incorrectly.
Need help figuring out your next step? We're here to help.
Why do you need an Estate Plan or a Trust? Peace of mind. It’s about everyone you love and everything you own.
A properly funded estate plan, including a Living Trust, protects you and your family during life and insures that your estate will pass on to whom you want, the way you want, when you want, and with as little cost and time delay as possible.
Although a properly funded trust will avoid probate, the trust must still be administered. The administration of a trust is in many ways the most important step. Trust administration occurs after the death of either one or both settlors (creators of the trust), and before any trust assets can be distributed to beneficiaries. Furthermore, to protect the successor trustees, there are many things that must be done to ensure proper administration.
When a person dies without a (properly funded) trust, his or her entire estate (all assets and liabilities they own at death), or select assets, must go through a court mandated process called probate, before any assets can be distributed to their heirs. Probate administration is overseen by a court to ensure that the final settling of the decedent\'s (deceased person) assets and liabilities is done completely and properly. This is true even if the decedent had a will!
When buying a first house, you’re probably dreaming of the day when they hand over the keys and the title—that little piece of paper that says you are now the very proud owner of your home. But there’s more to it than just a statement verifying that you own the property. The title also explains how you own it. To better understand that, let’s start with a brief overview of some common forms of title.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an emotional and, in some cases, physical toll on all of us. Since the novel coronavirus first appeared in California in January of 2020, California has had more than 3.3 million cases and almost 45,000 deaths. With schools and businesses shut down and shelter in place orders in effect, it’s hard not to be anxious about what might happen to you and your family if you get sick. One of the best ways to deal with anxiety about the future is to plan for it. While none of us can control the pandemic, we can all take charge of our health and financial plans. If you set up the basics of your estate plan, you can ensure that your family will be cared for and that your healthcare and end of life wishes are in place.
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The Basics: Proposition 19 changes the rules for property tax assessment transfers and could affect your estate planning. While the law also gives tax breaks to older property owners and provides relief for wildfire victims, the most sweeping changes will affect property taxes for those inheritin...
Read OnAt Davidson Estate Law, we focus on estate planning and we are here to listen to you and help you navigate the legal system.
Davidson Estate Law is committed to answering your questions about estate planning, trust administration, and probate issues in California.
We offer a free consultation and we’ll gladly discuss your needs and planning objectives with you at your convenience. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.