Lessons from Celebrity Estates: The Case of Liam Payne

Liam Payne, a celebrated former member of One Direction, tragically passed away in October 2024 at the age of 31 after a fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. At the time of his death, his estate was valued at an estimated $32.2 million. However, Payne did not leave behind a will, leading [...]

By |2025-05-13T16:52:07+00:00May 13th, 2025|Assets, Estate Planning, Living Trust, Planning, Property, Trust, Trust Administration, Will|Comments Off on Lessons from Celebrity Estates: The Case of Liam Payne

Proactive Steps to Protect Your Assets Through Estate Planning: The Importance of a Good Estate Planning Lawyer

Estate planning is a critical process that goes far beyond drafting a will. It requires careful strategizing to preserve, protect, and transfer your wealth while minimizing legal complications and tax liabilities. A skilled estate planning lawyer can make all the difference, ensuring your assets are safeguarded and your legacy is secure. Here’s how to [...]

By |2025-04-18T20:08:03+00:00April 18th, 2025|Assets, Estate Planning, Living Trust, Planning, Property, Trust, Trust Administration, Will|Comments Off on Proactive Steps to Protect Your Assets Through Estate Planning: The Importance of a Good Estate Planning Lawyer

Amending Your Trust After Marriage—the Omitted Spouse Doctrine
By William C. Mason, III, Of Counsel

Marriage changes a lot of things—but should it change your existing trust? To answer that question, let’s look at a hypothetical: John has two children: Dick and Jane. John purchases a home on Evergreen Lane and transfers that home into the John Doe Revocable Trust. Wanting to leave his children a tangible asset that can [...]

By |2024-02-21T23:10:46+00:00October 5th, 2023|Inheritance, Property, Successor, Trust|Comments Off on Amending Your Trust After Marriage—the Omitted Spouse Doctrine
By William C. Mason, III, Of Counsel

The Perils of Transfer-on-Death Deeds
By Allyson S. Heller

On January 1, 2016, the California legislature enacted Assembly Bill 139, which permits individuals to transfer real property upon death using a revocable transfer-on-death (TOD) deed. Since then, the TOD deed has emerged as an attractive option for homeowners looking for a quick and simple way to transfer property upon death outside of probate court, [...]

By |2024-01-28T01:06:13+00:00July 25th, 2023|Death, Property, Seniors|Comments Off on The Perils of Transfer-on-Death Deeds
By Allyson S. Heller

Prop 19: Major Property Tax Law Change
By Tony J. Tyre, Esq.

Proposition 19 passed in the recent election by receiving approximately 51% of votes and will take effect in California on February 16, 2021. Under current law (pre-Prop 19), there are great benefits for parents who want to transfer property to their children yet avoid property tax reassessment. For example, a married couple can pass property [...]

By |2024-02-20T21:22:40+00:00November 23rd, 2020|Property, Taxes|Comments Off on Prop 19: Major Property Tax Law Change
By Tony J. Tyre, Esq.
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