by Kevin Bayley “I don’t really have an estate,” some say when the topic of estate planning arises. You may have heard that the One Big Beautiful Bill passed last year makes the estate and gift tax exemption $15 million per person in 2026. You can pass that much money on when you die without...
by Kristen Terranova With the high cost of California real estate, it’s not uncommon for buyers to ask a parent or other family member to co-sign their loan. What should you do if you are asked to be a co-signer? First, consider the risks of co-signing. Job loss, illness, divorce, and other unexpected misfortunes can...
by Michelle Nguyen In recent years, California introduced a new estate planning tool that gives homeowners another way to pass on residential property upon their death without going through probate. When used correctly, a Revocable Transfer on Death Deed can simplify the estate planning process, reduce administrative costs, and make the transfer more straightforward for...
by Peggy Lennon This year, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) directly increased the lifetime exclusion, which is the base amount that one can give free of federal gift and generation-skipping transfer (GST) tax, either at lifetime or at death. The OBBB did not increase other dollar amounts in the estate, gift and GST tax...
When helping clients decide on a charitable planning vehicle, their level of philanthropic interest is key to determining the best option. For those with a strong desire to give back, charitable remainder trusts (CRTs) and charitable lead trusts (CLTs) are two attractive choices. Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) A charitable remainder trust allows a donor to...
Serving Southern California, including Pasadena, La Canada, Glendale, Burbank, Calabasas, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Camarillo and beyond.
