Ontario Estate Planning Attorneys

Many people think they don’t need an estate plan. Did you know that over 60% of American adults die without a will? That means their families are left trying to figure out what their final wishes are. It also means that a lot of money left on the table will eventually go to Uncle Sam instead of their family.

You don’t have to be ultra-wealthy to benefit from estate planning. If you own your home, have a bank account, a retirement account, or anything you would like to pass to specific family members, you can benefit from sitting down with Ontario estate planning lawyers who can help you plan for your future and the well-being of your family. Our team is eager to help you draft your will, form a trust, and handle any of your estate planning legal matters.

Call 909-451-7005 to schedule a free, 30-minute consultation with BC Miles Law Group.

What Is Estate Planning?

Estate planning is the process of planning what happens to your estate after you pass away. Estate planning also allows you to create a healthcare directive, a guardianship, and other directives that help your family and healthcare providers know your medical wishes and manage your estate when you are unable to do so.

Many people think estate planning consists of just your will, which is a great start, but estate planning has more depth than that. With good planning, you can minimize taxes owed by your estate when you pass. You can form a trust to care for your loved ones and help them avoid the probate process or maintain their government benefits.

By working with BC Miles Law Group, for your estate planning needs, you can feel confident knowing your bases are covered and your family will be cared for when you are gone.

What Is an Estate?

This is a very valid question. Your estate is any form of wealth you have acquired during your life.

Here are some items that are a part of your estate:

Real Property – Your home, land, and rental properties.
Bank Accounts – Your savings and checking accounts.
Investment Accounts – Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds you’ve invested in.
Retirement Accounts – 401(k), IRAs, and pensions you’ve funded throughout your life.
Personal Property – Things you own, like vehicles, mementos, and collectibles.
Business Interests – Any companies you own or partnerships you are in.

Your estate can be negatively impacted by debts you owe. Your executor will need to settle any medical debts, taxes owed, credit card debt, and other personal loans before your assets can be distributed to your family.

Are you struggling to determine what is and isn’t a part of your estate? Are you unsure of what you should include in your will? One of our Ontario estate planning attorneys can help you manage your estate and plan for your family’s needs.

What Is Probate?

After death, almost every person’s estate must pass through the probate process. Probate is the legal process through which a deceased person’s debts are paid, their assets distributed, and their estate settled. The probate court oversees probate, which ensures a deceased person’s final wishes are honored according to their will. When someone dies without a will, they are declared to have died intestate. The court will follow California intestacy laws to determine the decedent’s heirs and how their assets should be distributed.

The probate process usually involves validating the will, appointing an executor or administrator, identifying the decedent’s assets, paying their debts and taxes, and then distributing the remaining assets to the beneficiaries as outlined in the will.

Probate is an invasive, long process that can take months to settle, leaving your family in limbo as they wait for your estate to be settled. Our Ontario estate planning lawyers use personalized solutions that can help your estate avoid probate, meaning your family has access to your assets quickly.

Why Choose Us?

We Put You and Your Family First

We consider you to be more than a client. Our team is made up of families, and we care about families. That is why we made it our mission to take care of your family by offering estate planning services that benefit you during your lifetime and your family when you are gone.

Strategies That Work

All the talk in the world doesn’t mean anything when it’s time to settle your estate. Our team will consider you and your unique situation when planning your estate. What works for some may not work for you. Whether you wish to care for someone with special needs or you have a unique medical condition, BC Miles Law Group has the experience to help you.

The Experience You Need

We’ve seen it all at BC Miles Law Group, which has given us the skills to deal with any obstacle. Whether you need a simple will, basic trust, or a more sophisticated estate plan involving irrevocable trusts, we will get it done.

We Have a Proven Track Record

Our clients love us, and it shows. Check out our client testimonials or our online reviews, and you will see that our clients trust us with some of the most delicate aspects of their lives. We want to help you with your estate planning needs the same way we’ve helped so many others.

Our Team

It takes a knowledgeable, hard-working team to ensure your estate planning bases are covered. Our professionals are client-oriented because we know our clients have families they need to protect. We will ensure your needs are met and that your attorney aligns with your moral and financial needs

We Are There When You Need Us

Call us now to schedule your free consultation with our team. We are here to help you, and we will work on your terms. Whether you are just getting started or your circumstances have changed and you want to revisit your estate plan, we are ready to help. Call 909-451-7005 to find out how we can help you.

We Put You and Your Family First

We consider you to be more than a client. Our team of Ontario estate planning attorneys is made up of families, and we care about families. That is why we made it our mission to take care of your family by offering estate planning services that benefit you during your lifetime and your family when you are gone.

Strategies That Work

The Experience You Need

We Have a Proven Track Record

Our Team

We Are There When You Need Us

What Is a Trust?

You have likely heard of a “trust” or “trust fund” before. These valuable tools are beneficial both before and after your death. A trust consists of three main players: the grantor or trustmaker, the trustee who manages the funded trust, and the beneficiaries who receive assets from the trust. There may be occasions where the grantor, trustee, and beneficiary are all the same person.

Trusts come in two primary categories: revocable trusts and irrevocable trusts. With something like a revocable living trust and a pour-over will, you can ensure your family doesn’t have to deal with the probate process to get your assets after you pass away.

Irrevocable trusts are complicated legal entities that you fund with assets, which technically become the property of the trust, not you. Irrevocable trusts offer many benefits, such as asset protection, minimizing estate taxes, and caring for disabled loved ones.

To learn more about trusts and your options, speak with our Ontario estate planning attorneys today.

Do You Need Legal Guidance From Our Experienced Estate Planning Attorneys in Ontario, California?

Estate planning is a complicated process with so many moving parts. Simply writing your will is not enough to protect your assets, avoid disputes, and ensure your estate is managed the way you want it to be. Estate planning is not a one-and-done thing; it should grow and evolve as your estate grows and evolves. Working with a lawyer who puts your best interests at the forefront, who is eager to help you protect your estate, watch it grow, and pass your wealth and hard work on to your family.

BC Miles Law Group serves Ontario residents, and we have the experience needed to plan your estate, manage your assets after you pass away, and avoid probate litigation caused by unclear or improper estate planning.

Call 909-451-7005 to schedule your free 30-minute consultation.

Estate Planning FAQs

What is probate?

Probate is a legal process most estates go through after a person dies. Using your will, the court will assign an executor to manage and settle your estate. If an estate is small enough, under $184,500 in California, it does not have to pass through probate before it can be settled.

However, for deaths occurring on or after April 1, 2025, Assembly Bill 2016 provides simplified probate procedures for primary residences valued at $750,000 or less, even if the estate’s total value exceeds the $184,500 threshold. Probate is an arduous process that takes time before your beneficiaries receive your assets. It is also a public process, meaning anyone can find out what you are passing on to your family and about your outstanding debts. There are tactics you can use to minimize the impact of probate and privately pass your assets on to your family.

What happens if you die without a will?

Dying intestate, without a will, makes things much harder on your family as they must try to figure out your final wishes and how you want your estate managed. Without a clear will, trust, or other estate planning tool, your assets will be divided according to California’s intestacy laws, which favors your spouse and children first, followed by your extended family. This means that without proper planning, your estate could go to someone you did not intend it to go to.

Is estate planning amendable?

Yes! In fact, it is encouraged. Your estate planning, including your will, should change as your circumstances change. When you get divorced, you will likely want to remove your former spouse from your will. If you wish to disinherit someone who is currently an heir, you should update your planning to reflect that knowledge. When rules and regulations that govern estates change, you should ensure your plan still reflects your final wishes.

B.C. Miles Law Group wants to be your family’s attorney. Someone who knows when it is time to revisit your estate planning. You are more than a client; you are a provider to your family.

What is a living trust?

A revocable living trust is a valuable estate planning tool that allows you to place assets into a trust during your lifetime and instruct how they should be managed and distributed after your death. Unlike a will, your living trust will avoid probate. That means your family will have access to those assets faster, and you don’t have to worry about the public nature of probate. Trusts are complicated legal entities, and you will need an attorney to ensure your trust is compliant and will achieve what you intend it to accomplish.

How can you protect your assets from creditors and lawsuits?

There are many strategies you can follow to ensure your assets are protected and your family receives as much of your wealth as possible. Assets placed in an irrevocable trust are no longer considered your personal property. That means creditors have a harder time accessing those assets.
You can employ gifting strategies that allow you to start transferring portions of your wealth to your heirs. This process can be tricky as you must follow California’s annual gifting exclusions and remain under your lifetime limits.

What is a power of attorney, and do you need one in your estate plan?

A power of attorney (POA) is an essential estate planning tool. It allows someone you trust to manage your affairs when you are unable to do so due to incapacitation. A healthcare POA, also known as a medical directive, authorizes someone to make medical decisions on your behalf when you are unable to communicate your wishes.

A financial POA allows you to designate someone to act as your agent. Your agent can handle your banking matters, investments, real estate, and other financial matters for you when you are unable to do it yourself.

Will your estate owe taxes?

our estate may owe taxes if it exceeds a certain total value. Luckily, as an Ontario resident, your estate is safe from state estate taxes, as California does not collect taxes on estates.

However, as of 2024, an individual with over $13.61 million in estates will likely have to pay estate taxes. Smart estate planning strategies, such as irrevocable trusts, charitable donation trusts, and gifting, can minimize the amount of taxes collected from your estate.

Do you need an estate planning attorney?

YES! If you choose to plan your estate without the assistance of an estate planning lawyer, you are deciding it is okay to gamble with your family’s future. Laws change yearly, regulations on trusts are constantly being rewritten, and the options available to you evolve as your wealth grows and circumstances change.

You need a talented estate planning attorney to help ensure that you, your estate, and your family are protected and that you do not leave money on the table. You need B.C. Miles Law Group.