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One of the things that makes managing legal issues so challenging is that the laws are always changing. This blog is designed to help you stay current on many of the latest changes.

Faith based estate planning

Spring is here!  That means two important Easter and Passover are quickly approaching.  For many, these holidays include religious services, family gatherings, and special meals.  These upcoming occasions also remind me that I have not addressed the issue of faith-based directives in estate planning in this blog.   When it comes to burials, religious observances, […]

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Estate Planning for Business Owners

Many of our clients have their own business or have family businesses that have been in their families for generations. Although they work hard to make their business grow, one thought is not commonly discussed: a proper estate plan for their business. If something was to happen, and there is no estate plan or a […]

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It’s Estate Planning Season!

Kelly Erb, the “Tax Girl” columnist for Forbes, recently reminded us that IRS tax season opened officially on January 31st. Many of us know IRS taxes are due on April 15, and those of us who need to know also keep a mental (or written calendar) notated with other due dates for corporate taxes, quarterly […]

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Is your Trust Properly Funded?

There is a common misconception that once you sign your estate planning documents, you are now automatically protected. Although that is the case for most documents, when it comes to your trust, there is still work to be done. In order for a trust to protect you, it needs to be “funded,” meaning that title […]

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Common Mistakes New Business Owners Make

Starting a new business is always exciting; however, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement and fail to properly execute an action plan. There might be issues that you do not think are too important in the beginning, but can potentially mean the difference between future success and failure. With some simple […]

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How To Grant Your Loved One’s Last Wishes: Scattering Their Ashes

It is becoming quite common that clients request to be cremated upon their deaths, and for their cremains or ashes to be scattered in a specific place. Such places can be as simple as at a family lake house or as extravagant as on top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Other times, clients […]

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Estate Planning for Single Individuals

We hear it often: “Oh, I’ve been meaning to put together an estate plan”. And while this statement is mostly said by married couples, single individuals are just as guilty. In fact, a single individual needs to also properly prepare an estate plan given that the consequences of not having one can create emotional, financial, […]

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Married Couples: Why it Matters how you take Title to your Home

When a married couple takes title to a home in California, they usually take title as joint tenants. Another method is to take title as community property with right of survivorship. Many assume taking title as joint tenants or community property with right of survivorship mean the same thing, but there are important differences. For […]

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Is It Time to Revisit and Review Your Buy-Sell Agreement?

Just as we encourage our estate planning clients to review their estate planning documents at least every two years, we encourage the same for our business clients with their corporate documents. One such document we definitely recommend reviewing is a buy-sell agreement.   A buy-sell agreement is similar to a will for your business: you […]

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The Difference Between an S-Corp and a C-Corp

We recently dedicated a blog post explaining the different types of business structures available. This post is meant to explain how a corporation can be further characterized by understanding what exactly S-Corporations and C-Corporations are.   A corporation, once it is incorporated through the California Secretary of State, can elect to be taxed as an […]

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