408-247-0444
or
Contact Bob by email
Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman
1777 Saratoga Avenue, Suite 210
San Jose, CA 95129-5208
408-416-4591 (fax)
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Hi, I’m estate planning attorney Bob Bergman, Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning Trust & Probate Law (California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization). I’m married to labor and employment attorney Jennifer A. Lotz, who is also my business partner. We have 3 1/2 years old twin daughters, Giovanna and Sabrina, whose home page can be found here: Children's Home Page .
If you want to schedule a Consultation right away, please use the following links:
Step One: Schedule Estate Planning Consultation (online calendar)
Step Two: Download Consultation Packet (.zip files - click on link to download)
WHO SHOULD PREPARE YOUR ESTATE PLAN FOR YOU?
Choosing the best option to assist you and your family with your estate planning needs can be very confusing. There are hundreds of options available, from "do-it-yourself" books and online websites, travelling "trust mills," and local general practice attorneys who advertise that they do "wills and livings trusts" as part of a long laundry list of other legal services such as personal injury, bankruptcy, family law, etc.
"Do-it-yourself" books and websites offer fast, cheap solutions, often delivering them in the same day. They imply that living trusts are common and ordinary, that they are all the same, and there is basically no difference between what they provide and what attorneys provide. However, because they are not lawyers, they can't ask you all the right questions, and they can't legally answer your questions. In fact, if you have questions, you are told by them to see an attorney. Customization for your family situation and the needs of your family is not an option.
Local general practice attorneys who sell "wills and living trusts" often have very little training in estate planning, and usually use simple statutory forms for many of the important documents that need to be prepared. They generally have a very short interview process, and will likely use a "fill-in-the-blanks" trust document that can be prepared with little effort or thought. Customization for your family situation and the needs of your family is often not an option for them. Important issues concerning "blended" or second marriages, non-citizen spouses, planning for special needs family members, and the ability to do estate tax planning and asset protection planning for a family's inheritance may be ignored or overlooked.
Since 1980, it has been my mission to help individuals and families in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area with their estate and inheritance planning needs. Although I work with families of all ages, both married and unmarried, I focus on serving families with young children with the with the goals of making sure that the children are properly cared for and properlly provided for if the unthinkable should occur. My honest, conscientious commitment to my clients makes me an attorney you can trust to plan for your family's future. Comments from some of my clients can be read here in Testimonials.
Because every family's needs and concerns are different, every living trust estate plan that I create for my clients is custom-drafted by me to reflect the specific needs and concerns of my clients. My years of experience, my long membership in WealthCounsel, and my status as a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law gives me the ability to create the perfect plan for you and your family.
I serve the following communities and counties: San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Milpitas, Los Altos Hills, Alviso, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Redwood City, E. Palo Alto, Fremont, Newark, Hayward, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and Felton. Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Santa Cruz County, Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and San Francisco County.
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FREE LIVING TRUST SEMINARS
AND
FREE WEALTH PRESERVATION SEMINARS
I regularly offer my free Living Trust Seminar, "Inheritance Planning for You and Your Family in 2012 and Beyond" at my law office, and occasionally at other public venues. My living trust seminars are generally offered 2-3 times per month on Saturday mornings.
I also offer a Wealth Preservation Seminar called, "Passing on an Income and Estate Tax Free Inheritance to Your Heirs, and Preserving Retirement Plans for Your Family." This seminar covers the use of a special trust that can hold life insurance to provide an income and estate tax free inheritance with asset protection for your family. It also covers the special rules concerning retirement plans, and the best way to pass them on to your family. This seminar is generally offered every other month in my office.
To view a list of upcoming Living Trust and Wealth Preservation Seminars and register, click below:
VIEW UPCOMING LIVING TRUST AND WEALTH PRESERVATION SEMINARS
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OTHER LIVING TRUST SEMINAR OPTIONS
If you cannot attend a living trust seminar in person, visit my companion website at http://www.freelivingtrustseminar.com/ where you can do the following:
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View my living trust seminar online
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Download my living trust seminar for viewing on your own computer
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Order my INFORMATION CD (see description below)
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INFORMATION CD
I also have available an Information CD that has a copy of my estate planning brochure, several informative articles on topics such as special needs planning, life insurance trusts, planning for retirement plan assets, and more, all available as Adobe files. It also has my Living Trust Seminar available as an executable program that can be viewed on any computer, even without Internet access. The Information CD also contains all necessary paperwork to complete for a Consultation with me, a map with directions to my office, my biography, and fee information.
You may order a copy of this Information CD to be sent to you by using this link (you will be taken to my companion website at www.lawbob.net)
ORDER INFORMATION CD
PRIVATE LIVING TRUST SEMINARS
I am also available for private seminars that can also be presented for your PTA, "Mommy and Me" group, child's preschool, childcare center, or private school, church, your company’s employees, or even your circle of friends and family. Just contact me at (408) 247-0444 or email me directly at info@lawbob.com to make your request.
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CALIFORNIA CONSUMER GUIDE TO WILLS,
LIVING TRUSTS AND ESTATE PLANNING
I publish a useful guide that explains many of the estate planning options available if you live in California. It is call the “California Consumer Guide to Wills, Living Trusts and Estate Planning.” The new edition, revised December of 2011, may be downloaded here:
Download Consumer Guide
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APPOINTMENT DAYS AND TIMES
My offices is open by appointment only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Appointment times are currently as follows:
Tuesdays and Fridays: 9:30am, 12:00noon, and 2:30pm
Wednesdays and Saturdays: 9:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm
Appointment days and available appointment times are subject to change without notice.
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FREE ESTATE PLANNING CONSULTATIONS
I offer 30-minute consultations on estate planning in my offices on Saratoga Avenue in San Jose. Consultations are generally available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. These consultations are free if you wish to discuss your own estate planning needs or if you wish for me to review your existing estate plan.
If you wish to schedule a consultation to discuss the estate plan of somebody other than yourself, these consultations are not free, but are charged at my currently hourly rate of $350.00 per hour, due and payable at the time of the consultation. These charges may be waived at my option.
To schedule a 30-minute consultation, please call me at 408-247-0444 or schedule directly through my online calendaring system here:
Schedule Estate Planning Consultation
Once you have scheduled your consultation, please download and complete a Consultation Packet here:
Download Consultation Packet (.zip file)
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TRUST ADMINISTRATION CONSULTATIONS
I also offer 30-minute consultations to discuss the after-death Administration of the trust of someone who has died. Please note, I do not handle Probate Administration of the estate of someone who died without a Last Will and Testament or with only a Last Will and Testament.
These consultations are free if you are coming in to discuss the Trust Administration of the trust of your deceased spouse, partner, or relative, and are interested in perhaps retaining my services to handle the Trust Admininstration. These consultations are not free if you only wish to discuss your rights as an heir or beneficiary of somebody's estate or trust. In the latter case, my hourly rate is currently $350.00 per hour, with a minimum of one hour for the consultation.
To schedule a consultation to discuss Trust Administration, call me at 408-247-0444 or schedule directly through my online calendaring system here:
Schedule Trust Administration Consultation
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LEGAL PLANS AND OTHER FEE DISCOUNTS
I offer discounts off of my usual flat fees for estate planning to members of the following legal plan networks and organizations:
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ARAG® Attorney Network (available through some companies as a separate employee benefit)
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CLC Incorporated Legal Plan (usually part of an Employee Assistance Program/Plan through local companies or municipalities. Check with your human resources department to see if you qualify)
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LawPoint (Legal Connect) available through ComPsych Employee Assistance Plans
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Caldwell Legal Plan
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Legalease
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Special discounts available for members of Gemini Crickets (Parents of Multiples), Las Madres Neighborhood Playgroups, Inc., AARP, AMAC, and MetLife (Hyatt) Legal Plan.
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Serving families in San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Saratoga, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Milpitas, Los Altos Hills, Alviso, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Redwood City, E. Palo Alto, Fremont, Newark, Hayward, Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, and. Also Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Alameda County, Santa Cruz County, Contra Costa County, and San Francisco County.
Link to the Christian Yellow Pages
Link to Bob's Information Website (lawbob.net)
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