Many different legal documents may form the basis of your California estate plan. But there is a good chance that you have a question about which ones meet the terms for qualifying as a legal document. Certain documents, including your will or a durable power of attorney, should meet the legal grounds for acceptance in the state of California in order to protect their legal validity. This ensures that someone is able to act with ease or carry out your wishes if something happens to you.
A letter of instruction, however, is your informal set of directions for your loved ones when you pass away. It generally accompanies your will and is used to express your personal decisions as well as directions about what is inside the will.
It may also include other instructions such as where to locate documents or your burial wishes. It is primarily most helpful for your family members and your executor to find this letter of instruction as soon as possible after you pass away. Although it is not an official legal document, it can be used in conjunction with it for this point in time, but it is recommended that you work with a Pasadena estate planning lawyer to help you with this process.
