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...
Is Inheritance Tax-Free in 2023? By Tony J. Tyre, Esq.
Unknown to many of us, the government does not take money from a person’s estate most of the time. In fact, estates will usually pay little-to-no money to the government...
Identifying and Understanding Different Will Types
By William C. Mason, III, Of Counsel
California wills come in several different forms—attested, statutory, holographic, and pour-over. These different types of wills are all similar in that each is a testamentary document (1) created and executed...
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...
Asset Management for Trusts
By William C. Mason III, Of Counsel
A person’s decision to create a trust typically rests upon two factors: (1) the ability of a trust to manage distributions much more effectively than a will; and (2) that...
The Costs of Dying Without A Plan
By: Allyson S. Heller
As Benjamin Franklin famously remarked, the only certainties in this world are “death and taxes.” While we all know that death is an inevitable part of the cycle of life,...
Estate Planning 101: Trust & will terms that everyone needs to know
Quick, what’s the difference between a will and a trust? Might you be a testator? And what do you know about a conservatorship, besides the fact that Britney Spears has...
When Should I Amend my Trust?
By William C. Mason, III, Of Counsel
As your life changes, so too can your revocable trust. While there are numerous reasons why you may want to modify your trust, the following events are the most common...
Our Fundraiser was a success!
Thank you for supporting us!
Dear Clients and Friends, We are pleased to report that our pet supply drive and fundraiser for Baldwin Park Animal Care Center (BACC) was a resounding success. We are so...
Steps to Take When a Loved One Passes Away
By: Allyson S. Heller
Losing a loved one is always difficult. In addition to coping with their grief, many people are left feeling overwhelmed by the numerous obligations and tasks associated with settling their...