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Transferring New Assets Into Your Existing Trust
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]What happens to your trust when you open a new bank account or buy a new home? Many people worry that a change in their assets will require a trust amendment. The good news: it doesn’t, but there are two simple...
Breaking The Taboo Surrounding The End Of Life Conversation
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]I remember that awkward moment as a kid when my parents decided I was old enough to have “that” talk. Now, as an adult, there’s the “other” conversation that looms – all the decisions around end-of-life care.Debbie...
Avoid Sinking Your Spouse In A Swamp Of Legal And Financial Mess By Being Prepared Ahead Of Time
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]Because estate planning has so many shiny tools, it’s easy to get distracted with the details – which tool is better? Which one do I need? Here is the bottom line to focus on: will my surviving spouse or...
Who Needs a Living Trust
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been asked ‘which is better, a will or a trust’ I could buy a lot of coffee. Trusts have become popular in the last 50 years or so, while wills have been around for a long, long...
A Conversation Worth Having: 7 Tips for Discussing Estate Planning With Your Children
The benefits of having a conversation now can make the difference between continued family harmony, or years of legal wrangling and broken relationships after you are gone.
For Seniors Downsizing, Props 60 and 90 Offer Relief
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]In California, Prop 13 famously keeps your property tax low, making it potentially an expensive move to sell a home you’ve had for years for a new home, which will be taxed at the current fair market value. But for...
Presidential Tycoons, Estate Planning and You
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]What does the election of Donald J. Trump have to do with your estate plan? According to a recent national survey conducted by Wealth Counsel, Inc.,in fact, nearly half of all respondents believed that estate planning...
Forecasting Estate Tax Changes: Presidential Candidates Stand on Estate Taxes
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]As with any presidential election, there are many serious issues at stake, to say nothing of the personality clash this election cycle. I don’t rate estate taxes as the issue to swing my vote, but for advising clients...
Will an Unfunded Trust Leave Your Children Stranded?
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]I don’t know if you’ve ever run out of gas driving down the road. If you have, I’ll bet it was a pretty memorable experience. The closest I’ve come to experiencing that is the time I was driving in some back...
Five Hidden Dangers Your Family Faces Without An Estate Plan
[html format="ckeditor" different_values="0"]“I won’t care when I’m gone.” I hear that frequently in my estate planning practice and its true. But some things might be happening to the people you care about that you might not appreciate. Here are...