Nov & Dec 2008:  What is a Crummey Trust?
Gifting to Children While Maintaining Managerial Control

Sept & Oct 2008:  Vacation Homes
A Plan to Ensure Your Future Generations Enjoyment

July & August 2008:  Trust Mills
How Trust Mills Can Damage Your Estate Plan and Your Estate

June 2008:  Avoiding Real Property Tax Reassesments
How to Transfer Property and Keep Your Propositon 13 Value

May 2008:  Joint Tenancy
A solution that causes problems

April 2008:  How Do Pet Trusts Work?
Providing For The Care of Your Non-Human Beneficiaries

March 2008:  How Do Living Trusts Work Part II?
Preserve Management Control of Your Assets and Avoid Probate

January/February 2008:  How Do Living Trusts Work Part I?
Putting Down Your Intent For Your Assets on Paper

November 2007:  How Do Special Needs Trusts Work?
A Critical Trust to Protect Those Most in Need

October 2007:  How Does a Charitable Remainder Trust Work?
Reward Yourself with Tax Savings while Providing for Charity

September 2007:  Letters of Instruction - Your Legacy Document:
You Are More Than Your Net Worth
August 2007:  Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (Part II):
Completing Your Advance Directive Is Only The First Step

July 2007:  Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care:
Ensure Your Ability to Participate in Your Own Health Care Decisions Even if You Are Seriously Ill or Unconscious

June 2007:  What Are The Duties of a Successor Trustee?
What You Should Know If You Are Named as a Successor Trustee of Another's Revocable Living Trust

May 2007:  Durable Power of Attorney for Finances. A Critical Document You Need To Avoid A Conservatorship

April 2007:  Nominating Guardians for Your Children.
Do Not Let The Court Decide Who Will Care For Your Children.

March 2007:  Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts
How They Work To Avoid Paying Policy Proceeds to Uncle Sam.

February 2007:  Estate Planning for Non-US Citizens
Estate and Gift Tax Considerations for Non-Citizen Spouses.

January 2007:  How Does Probate Work
What is Probate and Why You Should Avoid It.
Probate is the process of transferring the assets...

December 2006:  Giving Gifts to Friends and Family
How to Make Gifts Without Incurring Gift Tax Consequences.

November 2006: How to Maintain Your Family Trust
Great!  You have your trust set up.  You're ahead of the game, but maintaining it is critical.

October 2006:  Do You Know How Your Assets Are Titled?
An important part of estate planning is being aware of how your assets are titled.  

Before starting her own practice, Michele was an associate attorney with a boutique estate planning practice for a number of years and advised clients on all aspects of estate planing, including gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer tax planing, charitable giving techniques, and the administration of trusts and estates.  

Michele is a current member of the California State Bar (Taxation and Estate Planning Sections), Eastern Alameda County Bar Association, Alameda County Bar Association, Contra Costa Bar Association Women's Section Board Member, Diablo Valley Estate Planning Council and is Secretary to the Tri-Valley Estate Planning Council. She is also a member of Tri-Valley Rotary and the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce

She graduated cum laude from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California and received her law degree from King Hall School of Law at the University of California at Davis.  She also received a Masters in Taxation (for Laws) from Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, California.