Creating a comprehensive estate plan is one of the most valuable gifts you can give to yourself and to your loved ones. At the Los Angeles County Collins Law Group, we understand that the attorney you select to assist you with that plan is one of the keys to the ultimate success of the plan. We would be honored to sit down with you and discuss how we can help you create a plan that protect you, your estate assets, and the people you love.
The History of Los Angeles County
The area we all know today as Los Angeles County was certainly not always the densely-populated metropolis that it is today. Like much of the American southwest, Los Angeles County was once home to a small Mexican village until California became part of the United States in 1848. The name of the original settlement remains debated. Some historians claim that the Spanish named it “El Pueblo de la Reyna de los Angeles” (“The Town of the Queen of the Angels”) while others argue that it was known as “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de Porciuncula”, or “the town of Our Lady of the Angels of Porciuncula.” Although the area was now part of the U.S., it changed very little until the Santa Fe railroad arrived in 1885. With rail service running from Chicago to Los Angeles at that time, immigrants began to flock to the area.
Over the next century, the area that would eventually be known as Los Angeles County continued to grow rapidly. In fact, the area grew from just 5,000 inhabitants in 1870 to over 100,000 at the turn of the century just 30 years later. At the same time, oil was discovered in the area, leading to Los Angeles becoming a center of oil production during the early part of the 20th Century. Not long thereafter, the movie industry began to take root in Los Angeles as producers and others involve in the industry fled the unions and restrictions they were forced to deal with on the East Coast.
Los Angeles County Today
With the movie industry fueling growth in the area, Los Angeles County continues to attract new residents. Today, the county is home to over 10 million residents, making it the most populous county in the United States. Covering over 4,000 square miles, Los Angeles County is larger than both the states of Delaware and Rhode Island. There are 88 incorporated cities within Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles being the largest with over four million residents, and numerous unincorporated areas. Not surprisingly, Los Angeles County is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the nation with a particularly large Hispanic and Asian population. The county also has the largest Native American population of any county in the U.S.
Although Los Angeles County is geographically limited with respect to its ability to grow, the county’s population does continue to increase at a steady pace in the 21st Century. The movie industry also continues to fuel growth in the county as does the aerospace industry, the international shipping trade, and the fashion industry.
Visitors and residents alike enjoy a virtual smorgasbord of shopping, dining, and entertainment options throughout the county. Nature lovers won’t be disappointed either with the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Gabriel mountains to the east along with numerous parks and green spaces located throughout the county.
The Collins Law Group in the Los Angeles County Community
Estate planning, when done correctly, is a highly personal, ad sometimes, sensitive endeavor that requires the assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney. At the Collins Law Group, we understand that it can be difficult to divulge personal and financial details to a stranger which is one reason why we work hard to develop and nature relationships with our clients. Our goal is to help you create a plan that will protect you and those you love both now and in the future.
Another reason we strive to create a special relationship with each client is that estate planning is actually an ongoing process that requires regular reviews and revisions over the course of your lifetime. Your initial estate plan will probably focus primarily on creating a roadmap for the distribution of your estate assets in the event of your untimely death. Subsequently, as you pass through the various life phases, you will likely need to review and revise your plan to keep up with the changes in your life. If you get married, for example, you will undoubtedly want to include your new spouse as a beneficiary in your Last Will and Testament, trust agreement, and/or life insurance policy. Likewise, becoming a parent may cause you to feel the need to incorporate incapacity planning strategies in your estate plan to ensure that your child is well cared for in the event of your incapacity. If you become a business owner at some point in your life you will want to revise your plan to include business succession planning to help your business make a successful transition to the next generation when the time comes to do so. As both your family and your assets continue to grow, asset protection and tax avoidance strategies become relevant to your plan. Finally, as you grow nearer to retirement, you will want to sit down and discuss retirement planning, Medicaid planning, and even funeral planning strategies with your estate planning attorney.
Given the highly sensitive and personal nature of the topics and issues involved in estate planning it only makes sense to work with an attorney with whom you have an established relationship. At The Collins Law Group we have made it our goal to earn your trust and confidence early on so that you will feel comfortable coming to us with all of your estate planning needs.
Contact Us
If you have additional questions or concerns relating to estate planning or you wish to get started on you plan, contact the experienced California estate planning attorneys at Collins Law Group by calling (310) 677-9787 to register for one of our FREE Estate Planning Workshops.
