Author Archives: Roger Billings

Is a Conservatorship Right for Your Family? Part 1: Disadvantages

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Roger Billings

Is a conservatorship right for your family? Usually the answer is no. Conservatorships are drastic, expensive, and stir up controversy, and yet most of the time they could have been avoided with some advance planning. Let’s review the cons of a … Continue reading →






Posted in Conservatorships, Incapacity Planning, Probate | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Is a Conservatorship Right for Your Family? Part 1: Disadvantages

Responding to Probate Court Petitions

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Roger Billings

You find out about a Probate court petition that you do not agree with. What do you do? According to Keith Davidson of the California Trust Estate & Probate Litigation Blog: When faced with a Probate Court Petition that you … Continue reading →






Posted in Probate | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Responding to Probate Court Petitions

The Election’s Impact on Estate Planning

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Roger Billings

This election raises more issues of policy and personal character than can even be listed in one post. An issue which does not get much coverage in the media is the potential impact of the election on estate planning. Hillary … Continue reading →






Posted in Estate Planning, Federal Estate Taxes, Gifting | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Election’s Impact on Estate Planning

Does it Count as Book Burning When it is a Book of Legal Citation Formats?

Posted on April 4, 2016 by Roger Billings

A prominent US Circuit Court judge, Richard Posner, has advocated burning the Blue Book: A Uniform System of Citation, which has long been the bane of existence for first year law students. According to Paul Caron of the TaxProf Blog: … Continue reading →






Posted in Law, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Does it Count as Book Burning When it is a Book of Legal Citation Formats?

Courts Increasing Scrutiny of Conservatorships

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Roger Billings

There are good reasons for courts to impose conservatorships, particularly to protect individuals vulnerable to fraud. But the conservatorship order has a drastic effect. It takes away the right to manage a person’s own affairs. Some courts have been increasing the … Continue reading →






Posted in Conservatorships, Estate Planning, Incapacity Planning | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Courts Increasing Scrutiny of Conservatorships

Getting a Conservatorship Protected Their Mother

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Roger Billings

Their mother was required to mail the organizer $2,500 to receive her prize. Conservatorships are not cure-alls or panaceas, but they do have a particularly important role in protecting vulnerable adults from being taken advantage of. A surprising discovery by two sons managing their mother’s … Continue reading →






Posted in Conservatorships, Disability, Guardianships, Incapacity Planning | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Getting a Conservatorship Protected Their Mother

Keep Your Plan Up-to-date

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Roger Billings

Successful estate plans are those that accurately express your wishes. As wishes change, the plan needs to be updated. A new year is a good time to review your estate plan and make sure it is up-to-date. Time Magazine published a … Continue reading →






Posted in Estate Planning, Life Insurance | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Keep Your Plan Up-to-date