07/07/2026
Living Revocable Trusts and True Love ❤️🐾
Happy belated Fourth of July to my friends, clients, and future clients!
Some of my clients have gently complained over the years that my page contains too many "boring" divorce and estate planning articles. So, I'm trying to do a better job of sharing a little more of my life—and maybe a smile or two—along with legal information.
If you think this post is about true love between a husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or even parents and children... wrong guess!
As a family law and estate planning attorney, I spend my days helping clients through divorces, restraining orders, custody disputes, and preparing living revocable trusts and wills. Sadly, I also see people disinherit spouses, children, siblings, and other loved ones. Beneficiaries on retirement accounts and life insurance policies are often changed after relationships end.
But there is one family member who almost never gets disinherited...
The family dog. 🐶
When our boys were little, my husband and I spent every July 4th trying to figure out how to entertain them. Now they're 19 and 22, and they certainly don't need us to plan their holiday anymore!
There is, however, one member of the family who still waits patiently for our attention every single day.
Major.
While I'm usually buried in legal files or studying for the CPA exam, and my husband is working in the Bay Area while the rest of us live in Huntington Beach, Major patiently waits for the next adventure.
So this year we decided to make a real commitment to making him happy.
We packed up the car and drove eight hours each way to the San Francisco Bay Area, where we rented a beautiful ranch surrounded by forests, wildlife, and complete peace and quiet.
For Major, it was paradise.
He finally got to:
🐾 Run through the forest.
🐾 Go jogging with me off leash (something that's practically impossible in Huntington Beach).
🐾 Ride the famous Roaring Camp Railroad through the redwoods.
🐾 Spend precious time with my husband, whom he misses while he's working in Northern California.
Of course... Major's wild side eventually made an appearance.
Let's just say his enthusiasm became a little too enthusiastic, and he briefly ended up in "jail." 🤣 (You'll understand when you see the photos!)
Fortunately, he was released on good behavior—and after paying his attorney's fee in belly rubs.
Working in estate planning has taught me something interesting.
I have prepared hundreds of living revocable trusts and wills, yet surprisingly few people include clear instructions about who will care for their beloved dogs or cats if something happens to them.
The clients who do include their pets in their estate plans never ask me to disinherit them.
Maybe that's because pets never care how much money you make, never argue over inheritances, never file restraining orders, and never forget to love you.
They simply remain loyal, innocent, and dedicated to making your life better every single day.
So while you're thinking about protecting the people you love, don't forget the family members who greet you at the door with a wagging tail instead of a legal demand.
Wishing everyone a wonderful summer from our family—and especially from Major! ❤️🐾
