Camarillo Estate Law And Real Estate Law Blog

Living in a California housing community can be a great way to share the responsibilities of home ownership at a reasonable cost.

There are some potential downsides in these arrangements. One of the most common issues homeowners face with their neighbors is loud pets. Specifically, the ones that bark. But how do you know if your HOA has any recourse for a continually barking dog?

Divorce will bring many changes to a person's life, including finances, retirement and more. In a time of upheaval and transition, it can be easy to overlook some of the things a California resident may need to do after divorce in order to truly protect his or her interests. One of these things is to make estate planning adjustments.

Significant life changes likely merit changes in an existing estate plan. Often, this means changing things in a will and other documents that a person drafted either before marriage or during marriage. In addition to changing the names of beneficiaries and heirs in a will, it may be necessary to also adjust any trusts included in an estate plan.

If you prefer to avoid conversations regarding your own mortality, you may relate to many California residents who say they don't even like to think about the topic, much less talk about it. On the other hand, you might be among those who understand that, even though such discussions may be somewhat uncomfortable, it is important to at least speak to loved ones about your wishes. It is also helpful to connect with an experienced legal advocate to place your wishes in writing and use the estate planning process to your benefit.

When executing an estate plan, you can customize the documents you include to address any and all of your medical and financial needs, as well as long-term care issues, inheritance matters and other issues, as well. Whether your priorities include designating someone as guardian of your children, setting up a trust or stating what type of medical care you want or don't want in a life-threatening situation, you can choose appropriate documents to state your wishes in writing. It is always best, especially when naming others in estate documents, to speak with those people ahead of time to make sure they clearly understand their roles.

Nothing sparks the holiday spirit like a glowing tree covered in colorful lights or a lawn display of the nativity scene. However, for those who live in California communities managed by homeowners associations, such displays may violate the Covenant, Conditions & Restrictions they agree to when they purchase homes in that community. At this time of year, it is not unusual for homeowners to lock horns with an HOA regarding their holiday decorations. However, one family recently prevailed when their HOA stepped over the line.

The family in another state had just moved to a new home in an HOA community. Previously, they had a reputation for constructing elaborate Christmas displays in their yard that drew spectators from across the state to see the display that included a choir of carolers, a nativity scene with live animals and over 200,000 lights. The new community was not pleased with the busloads of people that came to see the display, and the family claims they and their spectators suffered threats and harassment.