Our regularly updated blog discusses a variety of issues related to business, tax, and estate planning in California. Learn why an estate plan is necessary regardless of age or income, what steps you can take to reduce your tax liability and protect your assets, how to ensure your business remains on a solid legal foundation, and much more.
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Wait, Wealth Building Is That Simple?There's endless complication surrounding estate planning, tax and investment strategy. It seems complex, but it really isn't. That's because wealth building is so simple it can be explained in one sentence — Spend less than you earn and invest the difference wisely. "Spend less than you earn and invest the...
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Will "Old School" Work for Your Family?Traditional estate plans don’t work well for many families these days. A traditional plan is for couples who are in their first and only marriage and have only kids from that marriage. Different plans, tools, and strategies might be needed for people with other life stories. Unfortunately, the divorce rate...
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Estate Planning in a NutshellIf you don't make arrangements for what will happen after you are gone, the government will step in and make all those decisions for you—and they may not be the decisions you'd choose. The process will also be more difficult and costly for your family, so it's important to do...
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Taxes and More Taxes?This year the unified federal gift and estate tax exemption was increased to $5.34 million dollars. What this change means is that an individual can now give up to $5.34 million during their lifetime, or pass away with an estate valued up to $5.34 million dollars, without paying any Federal...
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Get That Retirement Nest Egg Growing!While saving more for retirement is a popular New Year's resolution, it often fails because people don’t have a plan to actually save more. The first months of the New Year are over. Are you on track to save as much for retirement as you thought? Did you catch the...
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What Will Become of the IRA Charity Rollover?You were so helpful to me in September, clarifying the IRA charitable contribution. Do you know if the government is instituting that same contribution this year? We are well into tax season and planning for the upcoming year. Are you keeping up with the tax laws? As many retirees and...
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Planning for the Final ChapterCompleting the following four tasks can help you meet any last obligations to your loved ones, ensure your final days are spent as you want, and reconcile your dreams with the realities of your life. Is a goal without a plan just a wish? Regardless of the goals you have...
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Lifetime Gift Exclusion and Recent Surge in GiftingThe law created a chance for wealthy families to move assets out of their estates and let their heirs benefit from any appreciation in value, said Lisa Featherngill, a managing director at Abbot Downing, a wealth-management unit of Wells Fargo & Co. According to official numbers recently released by the...
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Estate Planning: A Lifelong Journey, Not Just an End-of-Life ConcernThe best estate planning not only addresses our affairs after death, it also positions us to deal with our affairs under potentially adverse circumstances during our lifetime. When people hear the term "estate planning," most immediately think of senior citizens, retirement, wills and perhaps funerals. While that may be your...
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Should You Downsize In Retirement?Emotionally, it's hard to let go of a home filled with memories. Moving is a hassle, and downsizing to a smaller home isn't always the cash bonanza some might expect. When entering your golden years of retirement, what is the ideal living arrangement for your new stage of life? Do...