Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Medi-Cal Planning Attorneys in Monterey, CA, providing Living Trusts, Wills, Probate, Trust Administration, Asset Protection, Special Needs, and Medi-cal Planning

Helping Families Preserve Their Wealth During and After Their Lifetime

Welcome to the Estate and Medicaid Planning Information Center, brought to you by John D. Laughton, A Professional Law Corporation. We are an estate and elder law planning law firm in Monterey, CA, whose mission is to provide families with quality estate and Medicaid planning resources. When you visit or call our office, we want you to feel comfortable discussing such an important issue concerning both you and your family. We want to arm you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your family’s future.

Estate Planning: Wills and Living Trusts

Through the use of Living Trusts, Wills (simple & complex), Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Irrevocable Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships, and Charitable Gifting Strategies, our firm helps families preserve their wealth for future generations, minimize estate taxes, and avoid the expense and nightmare of probate.

Legacy Planning

Legacy Planning is a more holistic approach to estate planning. We help clients preserve their financial wealth and their legacy, including their life stories and family heirlooms, for future generations. Our non-traditional planning methods include special provisions and protections in Living Trusts, Wills (simple & complex), Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Irrevocable Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships, and Charitable Gifting Strategies. This planning also includes minimizing estate taxes, avoiding the expense and nightmare of probate, protecting against remarriage after death of the 1st spouse, and protecting beneficiaries from a possible future divorce.

Family-Owned Businesses & Farms

Our law firm offers estate planning assistance for the unique needs of Family Businesses and Farms. We help clients preserve this important part of their legacy for future generations.

Estate Planning for the LGBT Community

We offer guidance and assistance to members of the LGBT Community on their unique estate planning needs. This includes assistance in setting up Living Trusts, and Health Care Directives.

Incapacity Planning

Our law firm helps clients create a plan to handle their affairs in the event of an incapacity before they pass away. This includes planning to avoid a Living Probate or Guardianship proceeding.

IRA & Retirement Planning

Our law firm has experience in the complex area of estate planning with IRAs and other retirement plans. We help ensure clients and their beneficiaries are protected by employing tax reduction techniques.

Elder Law & Medicaid Services

We help clients qualify for government medical benefits legally and ensure their estates are preserved for their families, instead of their nest egg being wiped out by high nursing home expenses.

Asset Protection & Business Planning

We help clients who are small business owners and those who are most susceptible to being sued by assisting with Lawsuit and Asset Protection. We also assist with Business Succession Planning and Small Business Planning. Some of the tools and strategies used are Family Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and Buy-Sell Agreements.

Estate Planning and Your Pets

Our firm cares about the welfare of your pets. Your beloved pets need to be protected in the event you are no longer there to take care of them. Estate Planning and implementing a Pet’s Trust can ensure that your pets are provided for after your death.

Special Needs Planning

We offer assistance to clients who have special needs family members by creating Special Needs Estate Plans. These tailored plans help them preserve government benefits while having their loved one cared for in all areas of their life: financial, educational and medical, and most importantly, their emotional and personal needs in the future.

Trust Administration & Probate

We help families who have experienced the loss of a loved one with the ensuing Probate or Trust Administration process.

Financial Planning

We help clients preserve their wealth and achieve their long-term financial goals. We work closely with clients financial advisors to make sure their estate plan and their financial plan are coordinated and meet the clients goals.