The Pros & Cons This November, California voters approved Proposition 19, which expanded some property tax exemptions for people 55 and over, but also increased property taxes in many future property transfer situations when there is a death in the family. The quick recap is there are some property tax PROS for eligible homeowners to…
“My father died, and I am named as successor trustee. Now what do I do?” Most people have had little to no experience administering a trust and typically have many questions as to where to even begin with the administration of the trust. The goal of this article is to help provide a general overview…
Just by virtue of the name, “irrevocable” living trust, one would assume this is something that cannot be revoked, changed, or terminated. In fact, if you are the person who created the trust, you should consider the terms of an irrevocable living trust to be set in stone; a benefit which has provided much needed…
“Hi Grandma, it’s me. I am in a bit of a bind and need you to send me money immediately please.” “We are contacting you because you have the same name as the deceased who had an overseas investment worth $1.1M, which you now stand to inherit. There is a processing fee to obtain your…
As we begin the summer and start to move into the back half of 2020, we sincerely hope this newsletter finds you safe and well. During these past few months we have continued to work diligently for our clients with Zoom calls, Facetime meetings, and drive-thru signings with lots of hand sanitizer and social distancing…
The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE ACT) is intended to help people save for retirement. Most significant are the changes to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), which could help many older Americans save even more for retirement. But there are also some benefits that have been lost. That said, the SECURE Act will…
Is now a good time to update my estate plan? The answer is more than likely, yes. Knowing when to update your estate plan is probably not something that is at the top of your list. It’s been a few years since you completed your estate plan. That binder is sitting quietly in your closet,…
Since Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing earlier this year, his wife recently realized their infant daughter was not included in his trust. In the Bryant family trust case, and others we’ve experienced, more than likely the omission was an accident. Assuming it was an accident, what are the steps you, as the living spouse or child,…