When it comes to estate planning, most people focus on how to ensure their loved ones are taken care of. However, you may want to also consider charitable gifting, a tool that not only provides for causes you care about but also preserves wealth by reducing estate tax liability. Charitable gifting refers to donating money or assets to a qualified…
In the realm of estate planning, a will without a trust stands as an important document, orchestrating the distribution of assets and the fulfillment of wishes after one’s passing. In California, the statutory will serve as a convenient template for many individuals seeking to outline their testamentary intentions. While there are times when a statutory will may be sufficient –…
Over the past few months, we have discussed three very common scenarios where real estate is involved in a trust administration and where beneficiaries may not agree or have different ideas of what to do with the real estate. Part I of this series tackled the common issue of one sibling wanting to keep the home as an investment property…
For this four-part series, we are discussing very common scenarios that we see in our trust administrations where real estate is involved. Real estate, particularly the family home, often has emotional and sentimental components that can throw a wrench in trust administrations. Beneficiaries often have conflicting ideas of what to do with the family home. We will continue using the…
If you’re someone who is serving in the role of trustee, executor, conservator, or guardian, acting as a personal representative for someone’s estate in California, did you know that the state has specific guidelines for probate accounting? According to section 16062, the California probate code requires representatives to provide an accounting at least once a year. The purpose is usually…