Blog
estate planning
Beware of the Bypass Trust in Your Living Trust
You may need to amend your living trust if it has a bypass trust provision
estate planning
How Married Couples Can Divide Their Living Trust Assets
All to the surviving spouse, or to bypass trust or QTIP trust?
estate planning
2023 Gift and Estate Tax Exemption
2023 gift and estate tax exemption and annual gift exclusion. How much can you gift without a gift tax?
estate planning
How to Fund Your California Living Trust Checklist
How to transfer your assets to your California Living Trust to avoid probate
estate planning
How to Choose a Successor Trustee
Choosing the right successor trustee for your living trust
estate planning
California Estate Planning
An overview on estate planning. Why to do it. How to do it. When to do it.
estate planning
Why Funding Your Trust Is Important and How to Do It
A brief overview of how to fund your living trust
estate planning
Heggstad Petition - How to Avoid Probate
If you don't transfer your assets to your living trust, but you have a writing expressing your intent to do so, then your successor trustee can file...
trust administration
California Trust Administration Checklist
Checklist of what a trustee should do during trust administration
trust administration
California Trust Administration
If you have a living trust, your trustee must begin the trust administration when you pass away.
estate planning
Should You Use a Professional Trustee?
Using a Professional Trustee or Fiduciary is a good choice if you don't have family members or friends who can be your successor Trustee
estate planning
How to Avoid California Probate with a Revocable Living Trust
California Probate is time consuming and expensive. A Revocable living trust will help your family avoid probate.
estate planning
California Asset Protection Trust
A Revocable Living Trust will help you avoid probate, but adding asset protection trust provisions will significantly protect your children's...
estate planning
California Probate
California probate is complicated, time consuming and very expensive. A typical California probate could take 18 months and cost over $30,000 -...
estate planning
How to Create Your California Estate Plan
You have many options on how to set up your estate plan - DIY estate planning websites, traditional law firm or work with an attorney virtually
New IRS Regulation Allows 5 Years to Elect Portability
The IRS just issued Revenue Procedure 2022-32, which allows a surviving spouse to elect "portability." Read on to find out what this means for you.
estate planning
How To Choose An Estate Planning Attorney
An estate planning attorney will create a plan that eliminates stress and serves your needs. This guide will help you choose an estate planning...
10 Common Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid
Knowing what to watch out for will help you avoid the most common estate planning mistakes. Understanding common Estate Planning mistakes can help...
What Does an Estate Planning Attorney Do?
An estate planning attorney is a licensed legal professional that thoroughly understands the state and federal laws that govern the assessment,...
estate planning
What are The Different Types of Wills?
If you have a small estate a will may be enough. If you have a living trust, you will need a pour-over will.
estate planning
Estate Planning for Blended Families
Blended family estate planning presents challenges, and one size fits all estate plans may not work.
estate planning
Get a Durable Power of Attorney to Avoid Conservatorship
If you have already created a Durable Power of Attorney, you should not need a conservatorship.
estate planning
What If You Don't Have an Estate Plan?
What happens if you don’t prepare an estate plan? The state of California has a default plan for you, it's called intestacy.
Divorce Protection and Lawsuit Protection for Your Family
Lifetime Protection Trusts are designed to protect your loved ones and their inheritance from potential divorce claims and lawsuits.
estate planning
Estate Planning Checklist for California Residents
When you pass away, your estate goes through the probate process, and the probate court ensures that your executor distributes your assets per your...
How Does High Net Worth Estate Planning Work?
If you have a high net worth estate, your estate plan may need more than a revocable living trust.
estate planning
Do I Need an Estate Plan?
Almost everyone needs an estate plan. Many people think the term “estate plan” is something only high net worth individuals need. Not true.
No More Stretch-Out IRA: The Secure Act Changed the Rules
The Secure Act has significantly changed the rules for IRA beneficiaries. Before the Secure Act, beneficiaries could use the Life Expectancy Rule -...
Living Trust Administration Basics
What to do when your parent dies with a living trust
How to Choose a Guardian and Trustee
How to choose the right guardian and trustee in your living trust when you don't have a perfect guardian or trustee.
estate planning
California Proposition 19
California Prop 19 eliminates Parent Child Reassessment Exclusion but Expands Base Year Value Transfer
Protect Your College Kids
Young California adults need a durable power of attorney, health care directive and HIPAA.
trust administration
Portability - How to Eliminate Estate Tax
Filing estate tax return and electing portability when first spouse dies could eliminate future estate tax if the gift and estate tax exemption drops.
taxes
2022 Gift and Estate Tax Exemption
2022 gift and estate tax exemption and annual gift exclusion. How much can you gift without a gift tax?
estate planning
Living Trust or Will?
If you own a home in California, you'll need a living trust to avoid probate.
estate planning
Be Careful if You Refinance
Keep title of your home in your revocable living trust after you refinance