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(408) 371-6000
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Our Team
Benjamin J. Sowards Esq.
Patty Setser Esq.
Yvonne Richey
Cheryll ”Jo” Sek
Cheryl Lynn Nelson, CP
Krystal Roberson
Megan Gooing Esq.
Hailey Thomason
Jessica Schmitz
Michele Sowards
Practice Areas
Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning
Special Needs Planning
Estate Planning for Families With Young Children
Probate / Estate Administration
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Elder Law and Medi-Cal Planning
Pet Trusts
Crisis/Emergency Estate Planning
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Estate Planning During Divorce
Trust and Probate Litigation
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Family Bank Trusts – (aka SLATs)
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Home
Site Map
Site Map
Home
Legal Team
Benjamin J. Sowards Esq.
Patty Setser Esq.
Megan Gooing Esq.
Staff
Michele Sowards
Yvonne Richey
Cheryl Lynn Nelson, CP
Krystal Roberson
Cheryll ”Jo” Sek
Hailey Thomason
Jessica Schmitz
Practice Areas
Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning
Special Needs Planning
Estate Planning for Families With Young Children
Probate / Estate Administration
Trust Administration
Elder Law and Medi-Cal Planning
Pet Trusts
Crisis/Emergency Estate Planning
Litigation
Estate Planning During Divorce
Trust and Probate Litigation
Trusts for Married Couples
Private Retirement Plans
Asset Protection
Asset Protection for California Business Owners
Asset Protection for California Dentists
Asset Protection for California Doctors
Family Bank Trusts – (aka SLATs)
Testimonials
Resources
F.A.Q.
Blended Families
Medi-Cal Planning
Sowards Law Firm – Serving Clients During COVID-19 Quarantine
Stuck at Home? Review Your Estate Plan
Sowards Law Firm - Wills vs. Trusts
Estate Planning During Divorce
Estate Planning – Think About the Kids
Estate Planning – Removing a Trustee
Legal Disputes – Wills and Trusts
Trust Administration – What to Know
Estate Planning – Funding Your Trust
Pet Trusts – Protect Your Animals
Protecting Kids – Avoid Mistakes
2020 and Beyond Tax Implications
Contesting a Trust
Post Election Tax Planning
Workshops
Estate Planning eBook Download
Trust Administration eBook Download
Probate Process eBook Download
Trust & Probate Litigation eBook Download
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Blog
Avoiding 4 Main Obstacles to Digital-Era Estate Planning
IRS Announces 2025 Gift and Estate Tax Exemptions
The Great Wealth Transfer: Managing Your Inheritance Wisely
2024 Annual Gift and Estate Tax Exemption Adjustments
Estate Planning for Surviving Spouses
10 Ways to Maximize Your Social Security Retirement Benefits
AI and Obituaries: Did AI Write This Death Announcement?
Building an Estate Plan for Adult Children with Disabilities
Avoiding Property Tax Foreclosures for Older Adults
Are You a Family Caregiver? New Bill Seeks to Lower Costs
Lifetime Money Management for Children With Disabilities
Estate Planning – Should I Divide My Assets Equally?
Probate Process – A General Timeline
7 Common Inheritance Mistakes to Avoid
The Costs of the Rising Cost of Long-Term Care
High School Graduation – A Good Time for Financial Planning
Could Medicaid Payback Rules Come to an End?
How Life Insurance Is Involved in Estate Planning
3 Tips for Every New Homeowner
How to Make Your Inheritance Last
Privacy Policy
Archived Blog Posts
Estate Planning Awareness Week is Here!
Preparing for Coronavirus: The #1 Legal Document Every Adult Needs to Have
The Importance of a Will
Establish a Trust to Pass Wealth and Family Values on to Your Children
Estate Planning for Blended Families
Planning for When Your Special Needs Child Turn 18
The Potential Outcomes of Disinheriting a Child
How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Caregiving for Seniors
How Do I Know if I Need Probate?
The Importance of Keeping Your Powers of Attorney Up-to-Date
An Elder Law Attorney Will Help Guide You Through the Estate Planning Process
How Do I Know if I Need Probate?
Prenuptial Agreements Are Appropriate at Any Age
Add a Personal Property Memorandum to Your Will or Trust
Who Should Inherit the Farm?
Avoid These Mistakes When Planning for a Disabled Family Member
You Have a Will, but Is That Enough?
Managing Your Estate as an Entrepreneur
The Various Ways to Hold Title to Property
The Five Common Mistakes Made in Estate Planning
Don’t Let Your Family Feud End up in Court
Larry King’s Sad Legacy
Being There for a Loved One Who Is in a Nursing Home
Think Twice About Do-It-Yourself Estate Plans
The Silver Lining in a Pandemic
The Aging Process and Sleep Problems
This Month is Brain Injury Awareness Month
An Overview of Pet Trusts
Here Are Six Steps You Should Take Before Moving Your Parents Into Assisted Living
Overmedicating Those With Alzheimer’s Disease Can Lead To Serious Side Effects
Improve Your Home to Age in Place
A Creditor’s Ability to Disrupt Probate
Options for Long-Term Care in 2022
The Process of Claiming Guardianship of an Elderly Parent
Managing the Financial Needs of Children With Special Needs
Geriatric Care Managers Are in Greater Demand
There Are Times When Giving Is Better Than Receiving
Probate Litigation: How to Avoid It
Taking Special Needs Into Account When Planning Your Estate
Financial Abuse and Fraud Among the Elderly
Having an Estate Planning Discussion with Your Spouse or Partner
Waivers for Nursing Facility Care in the Home Under Medicaid
Digital Estate Planning: How to Avoid 4 Obstacles
Understanding the 2022 COVID-19 National Preparedness Plan
The Guide to Contesting a Will
How Community Property Affects Estate and Tax Planning
Summary of a Trustee’s Role
Revocable Trusts: An Overview
Prepare, Don’t Wait for an Emergency
Elder Law Attorney: What Do They Do?
Aduhelm Medications Are Effective at Treating Alzheimer’s Disease
Providing Long-Term Care: A Dilemma of Affordability
8 Tips for Having ‘The Talk’ with Elderly Parents
Estate Planning After Divorce
Estate Planning After Divorce
Who Are Parties to an Estate?
California Removing Asset Test for Medi-Cal Eligibility
Don’t Forget to Fund Your Revocable Trust
What Will Happen When the Gift and Estate Tax Exemption Gets Cut in Half?
Planning for Your Digital Legacy
3 Tips When Including Caregivers in Your Estate Plan
How Long Does an Executor’s Job Take?
How Cryptocurrency and NFTs Fit Into Your Estate Plan
After a Dementia Diagnosis: Preparing for the Future
5 Rights That Trust Beneficiaries Have
How to Deal with an Estranged Child in Your Estate Plan
5 Smart Estate Planning Strategies for High Net Worth Families
Make Reviewing Your Estate Plan One of Your New Year’s Resolutions
Leaving an IRA to a Special Needs Trust Is No Longer Such a Bad Idea
5 Estate Planning Tips for the Non-Traditional Family (Which Odds Are Includes Yours)
How an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust Can Be Used to Avoid or Reduce the Estate Tax
Does Medicare Pay for Assisted Living?
When Should You Start Helping With Your Parents’ Finances?
How To Avoid Problems as a Trustee
Step-Up in Basis and Why It Matters in Estate Planning
Probate v. Non-Probate: What is the Difference?
Tailoring a Will & Power of Attorney for Multiple States
What Happens to Assets Left in a Special Needs Trust (SNT) on the Death of the Beneficiary?
Start 2023 Prepared: Reassess What Matters Most
How to Give Gifts to Your Grandchildren
Does Power of Attorney End at Death?
How to Choose the Best Home Care Provider for Your Parents
This Tax Season, Seniors Can Get Free Assistance
Are Wills Public Record? : Estate Planning Q&A
Can I Have Both Employer Insurance and Medicare?
Appointing an Executor? Here’s What an Executor Cannot Do
Don’t Wait Until You’re Sick to Create an Estate Plan
2023 AARP Report Recommends Supports for Family Caregivers
Is Aging in Place Right for Me?
Using a Roth IRA as an Estate Planning Tool
Why Hire an Elder Law Attorney?
The Basics of Estate Administration
6 Facets of Estate Planning that LGBTQ+ Couples Should Know
What is a Life Estate?: Estate Planning Basics
When Should I Include a Pour Over Will in My Estate Plan?
3 Common Probate Questions: Estate Planning Basics
Medicare Extra Help Program Set to Expand in 2024
Watch Out for These Potential Problems with Life Estates
Inherited Retirement Accounts: Minimizing Tax Consequences
3 Tips for Prepping for Medicare Annual Enrollment 2023
Ashes to Ashes, or Ashes to Soil? Is Human Composting Real?
The Benefits of Continuing Care Retirement Communities
Using 529 Plans for a Grandchild’s Higher Education
Do You Need a Trust?: Estate Planning Q&A
Do You Need a HIPAA Release?
14 Essential Questions to Ask Aging Parents This Holiday
What Does Incapacitated Mean in Elder Law & Estate Planning?
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Practice Areas
Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning
Special Needs Planning
Estate Planning for Families With Young Children
Probate / Estate Administration
Trust Administration
Elder Law and Medi-Cal Planning
Pet Trusts
Crisis/Emergency Estate Planning
Litigation
Estate Planning During Divorce
Trust and Probate Litigation
Trusts for Married Couples
Private Retirement Plans
Asset Protection
Family Bank Trusts – (aka SLATs)