Bob Keebler, the well known CPA, recently posted about the new 3.8% Medicare tax. Rather than getting your tax news from Facebook or while standing by the water cooler at work how about letting me give you the basics about this hotly discussed tax. Bob posted, “For tax years beginning after 2012, new Internal Revenue […]

Spousal property petitions are tools that are used by surviving spouses or surviving domestic partners to transfer the title of the decedent’s assets from the decedent to the spouse or partner. It is cheaper and less complex than probate, which is why many people will find it advantageous.  If the decedent died with a will […]

Very informative article in the Sacramento Bee regarding Michael Jackson’s estate expressing concern for the family due to the bitter disputes that are on-going.  What a mess this one is!  Here’s the link.

In 2012, the law in the state of California changed regarding small estates. Currently, California Probate Code §13100-§13116, the Small Estates Law, says that if the value of the decedent’s estate at the time of death is less than $150,000.00, the estate does not have to go through probate. An affidavit is signed which is […]

There are dozens of errors that people make when they do not have a highly experienced California probate attorney handling their case. Here are five common ones to avoid: 1) Failing to file the will within 30 days – by law the will is required to be filed with the Court within 30 days of […]

Transferring cars, boats and other vehicles after death is really easy in California. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has some very simple forms to use. In most cases you do not need a probate lawyer and can do it yourself. I am updating this page on April 8, 2020.  Interestingly the law changed […]

If you are reading this you are either in the hospital or you have a loved one in the hospital. I am sorry for your situation.  We do make hospital visits to help people set up or improve their estate plans.  However, please note it is imperative that the person is not heavily medicated and […]

Trust administration is often ignored after death. The thought is that a trust avoids probate and therefore no work is needed.  This is simply not true in most cases. Here are ten crucial steps in the California trust administration process. While not mandatory in every case they should be discussed with your attorney in every […]

This from Leimberg.com, which is a great financial and estate planning resource, the latest AFR rates: For a complete history of AFRs and 7520 Rates and for information on NumberCruncher Estate and Financial Planning Software, go to https://www.leimberg.com

California is a community property state, a distinction that may have significant estate planning consequences for couples who live here. When dealing with specifics assets, the first thing that must be determined is the classification of the property, whether it is community or separate. According to California Family Code § 760, community property is everything […]