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Signing a living trust feels like the finish line. The binder is impressive, the signatures are notarized, and it is natural to file it away and consider your estate planning done. But there is a quiet, critical step that gets skipped more often than any other, and skipping it can undo everything the trust was … Read more

There is a common misconception that estate planning is something only wealthy families need. Headlines about the federal estate tax reinforce that idea, and the latest news seems to make the case even stronger: the exemption is now $15 million per person, or $30 million for a married couple, and it was made permanent under … Read more

Most conversations about estate taxes focus on a number most California families will never reach. With the federal estate tax exemption now set at $30 million per couple, the vast majority of estates owe no federal estate tax at all. Yet there is a different tax that touches far more families when a spouse passes … Read more

Before you leave on summer travel, review six core estate planning items: your living trust, last will and testament, durable financial power of attorney, advance health care directive, beneficiary designations, and a document location memo for someone you trust. For families with minor children, also confirm short-term guardianship arrangements while you are away. A brief … Read more

California Proposition 19, effective February 16, 2021, narrowed the parent-child exclusion from property tax reassessment. To keep a parent’s low Prop 13 tax base when inheriting a home, the child must move into the property as their primary residence within one year of the transfer and file specific forms with the county assessor. The exclusion … Read more

When a child turns 18 in California, parents lose automatic legal access to their medical records, financial accounts, and decision-making authority. Two estate planning documents close that gap: an Advance Health Care Directive (which includes HIPAA authorization) and a Durable Financial Power of Attorney. With both in place, parents can step in if a young … Read more

The federal estate and gift tax exemption rose to $15 million per individual (—$30 million for married couples) —on January 1, 2026, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed in July 2025. The new exemption is permanent, with annual inflation adjustments beginning in 2027. California has no state estate tax or inheritance tax, so … Read more

Under the SECURE Act of 2019 and the IRS Final Regulations issued in 2024, most non-spouse beneficiaries who inherit a traditional IRA must withdraw the entire account within ten years of the original owner’s death. If the original owner had already begun required minimum distributions, the beneficiary must also take annual distributions during years one … Read more

Being named successor trustee in a loved one’s trust is a profound expression of confidence. The person who created the trust believed you were the right person to protect their legacy, manage their assets, and ensure their wishes were carried out with care. That trust is well-placed — but it also comes with significant legal … Read more

Trusts are among the most powerful tools in estate planning, offering flexibility, control, and protection that a simple will cannot provide. But for many California families, the first question is also the most confusing: Should we create a revocable trust or an irrevocable trust? The answer, as with most estate planning questions, depends on your unique … Read more