We are often asked by prospective clients: “Do I need an estate plan?” This is particularly the case for folks under 40 or 50, who just can’t imagine themselves dead or incapacitated. We are also often asked about planning by our clients who have adult children with assets and children of their own. As we all know, we can't and don’t know the future. Should a premature death or disability occur due to an unexpected injury or illness, having an appropriate plan in place will reduce needless … [Read more...]
An Update On ABLE Accounts
We have previously wrote about the long-awaited arrival in California of the so-called ABLE accounts. Formally, known as an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account, they are a low-cost, easy-to-access plan established by federal law that began rolling out in 2016 and is now available in California. Modeled after the so-called “529 accounts”, an educational savings program offered by individual states, ABLE accounts let children or adults with disabilities incurred before age 26 … [Read more...]
Do I Need A Separate Tax ID Number For My Trust?
A common question we get from clients is: What is the Tax ID number for my trust? The question is often prompted when our clients attempt to open an account under the name of their trust.For most of our clients, the type of trust we create is known as a grantor trust which is amendable and revocable. These are commonly referred to as “living trusts”. You can determine whether you have such a trust by reading Article One of your trust document. In such cases, the Tax ID number for the … [Read more...]
The Little Things May be the Most Important
Your estate may be worth a little or a lot at your death. The items which your beneficiaries might cherish could be the sentimental ones. Read the following blog by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett, an estate planning expert, to learn how your will or trust could provide the ability for you to keep a list and update it without needing to see your lawyer every time you change your mind on an item.The Little Things May be the Most Important … [Read more...]
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts
Domestic Asset Protection Trusts are spreading to more jurisdictions. However, their protections may be waning. Read the following blog by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett, an estate planning expert, to learn more about Domestic Asset Protection Trusts.Domestic Asset Protection Trusts … [Read more...]
SALT Deduction Limit…Can You Get Around It?
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increased the standard deduction amount. However, it also limited itemized deductions for state and local taxes (SALT) on the federal income tax return. This is a concern for many California homeowners due to the relatively high value of homes in California. Read the following article by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett, an estate planning expert, to learn what works (and what doesn’t work) to maneuver around the $10,000 SALT limitation.SALT Deduction … [Read more...]
Tax Tips after New Year
The New Year is here. Can you do anything to reduce your tax liability for 2018? This article by my friend and colleague Steve Hartnett, an estate planning expert, provides a few tax tips now that we’ve begun another year. Read on to learn more.Tax Tips after New Year … [Read more...]
