While creating an estate plan is a smart move for just about anyone, certain situations in life arise that make drafting one even more critical. Having your first child is one such situation. While you may find yourself distracted for a while with adjusting to life...
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Final arrangements and estate planning
Thinking about how you want your property and other assets distributed after your death can be difficult enough. However, during the estate planning process, your attorney may ask you if you've given any consideration to your burial plan preferences.This is as good of...
The big reason an incentive trust may not work
When people talk about incentive trusts, they often point out the benefits: You get to help your heirs become the best versions of themselves, and then they get their inheritance when they follow the path you set for them. Incentives could include refraining from...
Why California parents should include a special needs trust
Estate planning is a wonderful opportunity for a young family to provide for future security. One of the more distressful concerns is a child with special needs. Parents realize the child will likely need long-term care. How can they ensure the best future for their...
Writers and agents are battling in court over packaging fees
People who make their living writing for television shows and movies have agents who represent them, just as actors do. Many agents work for large talent agencies. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is suing the four primary agencies over their use of packaging fees,...
Will your estate planning documents survive a disaster?
Here in California, we know that between earthquakes and fires, the possibility of our home being destroyed is, while unlikely, nonetheless a very real possibility. The most important thing in a disaster is to get all of the people and animals out of the house safely...
Caring for your unmarried partner with an estate plan
Maybe you and your partner are living the Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell or Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham life: You're longtime loves who simply decided never to marry.That lifestyle works for couples everywhere, and even if they don't need a marriage certificate,...
Luke Perry’s death provides estate-planning lesson
We so often hear of celebrities who haven't created an estate plan and how their family members wind up in court, fighting over the assets, when they die.Actor Luke Perry, who died March 4 in Southern California following a massive stroke, apparently had his estate...
How to make estate planning easy—and why it matters
Do you wish you could predict the future? You can, using a successful estate plan. The future is coming, whether you provide for your loved ones or not. Formalize your wishes in an estate plan. Peace of mind comes when you are in control.Well-meaning people die every...
Wealthiest Californians would see estate taxes rise under bill
A California state senator has sponsored a bill that would ask Californians to vote on whether the state should implement a tax on the estates of the richest residents.Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, is proposing a 40 percent tax on estates worth more than $3.5...