Estate Tax

There is no question that the American population is aging. An ever-growing number of baby boomers enter retirement in California every day. In many families, children will take the lead on caring for, or finding care for aging parents. This can include making sure...

Estate taxes in California can be on the high side, amounting to as much as 13%. Reducing estate taxes is a goal of many people, and they will go to extraordinary lengths to accomplish it. This includes even moving out of state prior to an expected increase in...

People concerned with passing on their assets and belongings after their death, and people who are concerned that the appropriate asset goes to the appropriate heir, tend to be very conscientious when it comes to estate planning in California. In addition to assuring...

Families are made up of people. People come in all shapes, sizes and personalities, and this can add to family drama and contribute to challenges when it comes to estate planning in California. Most people understand the importance of having a plan in place in...

For a variety of reasons, most people in California and elsewhere do not have a will. Estate planning is a personal and challenging task, so once a will is in place, it may seem like a victory. The testator -- the person who writes the will -- may be surprised to...

Contemplating one's death is not a pastime most people wish to engage in. But failing to contemplate and plan on what happens to the property and people a person cares about in California can have serious unintended consequences. These can be avoided by taking some...

Estate planning in California can be complex and tricky in the best of situations but it takes on added gravity when a child with special needs is involved. A couple of different variables come into play when one is protecting assets in the interest of long-term...

Families can be complicated, particularly extended families and new families. Divorce, re-marriage and children with a second spouse can all serve to complicate family dynamics, which can, in turn, complicate estate planning. Indeed, family conflict was recently cited...

Estate planning can be a stressful process. It may be difficult to know where to begin. In addition to facing one's own mortality, creating an estate plan in California can be an emotional experience in deciding who gets what and when. Circumstances that can further...

It's almost mid-February, and perhaps one is sitting back and reflecting on a year that he or she believes is off to a good start in California. The often delayed task of estate planning has been completed. But has it? Has an estate plan actually been created or...