Estate planning gives people a chance to decide what should happen to their property, finances, and personal affairs before those decisions become urgent. A clear plan can also give family members useful direction during a difficult time.
Attorney Rodney Gould works with individuals and families in Sherman Oaks and throughout the Los Angeles area on estate planning and probate matters. With a legal career dating back to 1991, Gould brings decades of experience to matters involving wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, probate, and related legal concerns.
Estate Planning Goes Beyond Writing a Will
A will is an important estate planning document, but it may be only one part of a person’s plan. Depending on individual needs, an estate plan may include a will, a trust, a power of attorney, an advance health care directive, and other documents. Each serves a different purpose, from providing instructions for property to naming someone who can handle financial or health care decisions if necessary.
The right combination of documents depends on the person. Parents with young children may have different priorities than retirees, homeowners, or business owners. Someone supporting a family member may also have concerns that require additional planning. Estate planning works best when the documents reflect a person’s actual family situation, assets, responsibilities, and wishes.
Planning Can Give Families Clear Direction
One important reason to create an estate plan is to put major decisions in writing. Without clear instructions, family members may have questions about property, financial accounts, personal belongings, or who should have authority to handle certain matters. Those questions can become harder to resolve during an already emotional period.
An estate plan should also change when life changes. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a beneficiary, a home purchase, retirement, or a major financial change may be reasons to review existing documents. Even someone who created a will or trust years ago may find that the plan no longer reflects current relationships or wishes.
Probate Can Bring Additional Responsibilities
Probate is a court-supervised process that may be required to handle certain property after someone dies. Depending on the estate, the process can involve identifying assets, addressing debts, completing court filings, keeping financial records, and eventually transferring property to heirs or beneficiaries. The exact steps depend on the circumstances of the estate and California law.
Some probate matters are relatively straightforward, while others involve disagreements. Questions may arise about a will, inheritance rights, property ownership, or the actions of an executor or other person responsible for the estate. When conflicts develop, knowledge of probate procedure and courtroom litigation can become especially important.
Rodney Gould Brings Decades of Legal Experience
Rodney Gould’s legal background extends beyond estate planning and probate. He began his career as a civil prosecutor for the United States Postal Service in Washington, D.C., where he worked on mail fraud matters. He later served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia with the U.S. Department of Justice and gained experience litigating cases in federal courts.
After his government work, Gould provided legal services to major companies, including Starbucks, MCI, USAA, and Bank of America. Today, through the Law Office of Rodney Gould, he focuses on helping individuals and families with estate planning and probate matters. He has handled probate litigation in California Superior Courts and appellate matters in the California Courts of Appeal, giving him experience with both planning and disputes that can arise after a death.
Estate Planning Is a Personal Process
Estate planning involves legal documents, but the decisions behind those documents are often personal. People may need to determine who should receive a home, who should manage financial affairs during an incapacity, how children or other dependents should be provided for, and who should have authority to make health care decisions. Taking the time to address these questions can provide clearer instructions for family members.
Gould works personally with clients to understand their circumstances and what they want their plans to accomplish. His practice includes wills and trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, elder law, revocable trusts, spendthrift trusts, trust administration, and other estate planning matters. This allows planning to be based on the client’s needs rather than treating every family the same way.
Community Service Is Also Part of Gould’s Background
Originally from Michigan, Gould earned his bachelor’s degree from Eureka College in Illinois before receiving his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law. His professional background has included government service, private legal work, litigation, estate planning, and probate matters.
Gould has also served organizations outside his law practice. His community involvement has included board service connected with AIDS Project Los Angeles, Project Angel Food, Eureka College, National City Christian Church Foundation, Disciples Seminary Foundation, Christian Church Homes of Northern California, and First Christian Church of North Hollywood. This work has been another part of a legal career spanning more than three decades.
When Should You Review Your Estate Plan?
People do not have to wait until retirement or a serious health concern to think about estate planning. Getting married, having a child, purchasing real estate, starting a business, receiving an inheritance, or preparing for retirement can all be good times to create or revisit a plan. Planning earlier also gives a person more opportunity to consider important decisions without the pressure of an immediate problem.
Existing plans should not simply be placed in a drawer and forgotten. Family relationships, property, finances, and personal wishes can change over time. Reviewing estate planning documents periodically can help confirm that they still reflect what a person wants and identify areas that may need to be updated.
Planning Can Make Future Decisions Easier
Estate planning is ultimately about putting decisions in writing before someone else has to make them. A thoughtful plan can address property, financial authority, health care wishes, and the needs of family members while giving loved ones clearer instructions about what should happen in the future.
From his office in Sherman Oaks, Attorney Rodney Gould helps clients in Los Angeles and surrounding communities with estate planning and probate matters. His decades of legal experience, including litigation and probate work, give clients access to an attorney familiar with both planning and the legal issues that can arise when an estate must be administered.
