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When sitting down with your attorney to create your estate plan, there is a lot to think about. It can be difficult to remember all of the important items that need to be addressed. Part of the estate planning process involves reviewing your assets and making decisions as to how they should be transferred after your death. But with everything else you have to think about, you may forget about your cars. However, if you do not properly plan for cars, you loved ones will have a little more work to do when it comes to administering your estate. Meeting with an experienced estate planning attorney can help you remember to include your car in your estate plan and avoid a lot of hassle for your loved ones in case something happens.
What Happens When You Don’t Plan for Your Cars
When you do not include your car in your estate plan, your loved ones will have to deal with the California Department of Motor Vehicles and the court that has jurisdiction over the probate proceedings, in order to transfer ownership of the car.
Some of the many documents that they will need to gather include the following:
- A copy of your loved one’s driver’s license
- A copy of the death certificate
- Your loved one’s Certificate of Title
- Affidavit for Transfer Without Probate
- Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration
- Vehicle Transfer and Reassignment Form
- Planned Non-Operation Certificate
- Statement of Facts
Fortunately, all of this can be avoided with proper planning. There are many estate planning tools that can be utilized in order to avoid extra work during the estate administration process. An experienced and knowledgeable attorney can help you find the option that is right for your needs and help you include all your property including your car in your estate plan.
If you are interested in learning more about the estate planning options that are available, we are happy to help. We have helped many clients achieve their goals; we encourage you to check out our case results page to learn more.