A: Not at all! California law unequivocally states that if a couple or single person transfers their residence (or any real property for that matter) into a revocable trust that they created, the property taxes will not be reassessed. In fact, the only document that...
A: Not at all! Since the Settlors (the name given to the clients that create the trust) are able to exercise absolute control, dominion and discretion as to all the assets of the trust, no separate EIN will be required, and you will not have to file any separate tax...
If you own property in California, it may be a good idea to add a living trust to your estate plan. This is because you can hold the property outside of your estate, which means that it likely won't be subject to probate. Furthermore, if you become incapacitated,...
A: There may be times in life when it is appropriate to go with the cheapest option, and estate planning should not be one of them. Most of our clients tell us that one of the things they value the most is the peace of mind in knowing that their documents have all...
A: Under the California Probate Code, if a minor inherits more than $5,000, then a formal court custodianship must be opened and administered by the Court until the child turns 18, at which time any remaining funds would be delivered outright (with no restrictions) to...
A: A basket is actually a great way to conceptualize the way a living trust works! Think of a living trust as a basket with a set of instructions on the inside. This set of instructions declares what is to happen with all of the assets inside the basket upon the death...
A: You should also specify in the trust document who the contingent beneficiaries of your assets will be! If you don’t specify the contingent beneficiary, the Probate Code will decide who receives the deceased beneficiary’s inheritance - the default rule is known as...
A: Section 254 of the Probate Code states that any person who feloniously and intentionally kills someone is not entitled to benefit monetarily in any way from the death they intentionally caused. The most famous example of this in California was the matter of Scott...
A: Not if you have the home in a living trust! While your home can be subject to a Medi-Cal recovery claim after your death, as of 2017, Medi-Cal can only go after assets in your name upon your death; the trick here is that if you create a living trust and transfer...
Savvy estate planning in California involves reviewing your plan and possibly updating it when there are big changes in your life. Retirement may be one of those big changes, and there are several things you may want to consider. If you do not already have an estate...
