Now that the California Supreme Court has validated same sex marriages in California, we may see an increase in such couples having children or adopting them. The Gay Lesbian Times reports that more than half of gay men and 41 percent of lesbians want to have children and an estimated…
Many individuals in San Diego are considering purchasing life insurance. Most people do not know that a properly drafted irrevocable life insurance trust, known as an ILIT, can be used to reduce estate taxes or to provide substantial money for your heirs. They also bypass the probate process. For some,…
There are many people in San Diego that want to support the charities and causes they care about. If you want to leave a legacy after you pass away and want to give money, property, or other assets to charitable organizations, you need to have an estate plan which includes…
In San Diego the cost of housing is one of the highest in the nation. For many of us, our home is the primary asset in our estate. One of the issues in the upcoming presidential campaign is the repeal or modification of the federal estate tax exemption. The outcome…
Estates are comprised of many different assets including homes, bank accounts [Bank of America, Union Bank and others], life insurance [Farmers, State Farm and others], and personal property such as jewelry, artwork, cars, and boats. Sometimes what causes the most squabbles among family members after a death is not the…
If your child is now 18, there is valuable information for you and your now “adult” child available for free. There is a publication entitled “When You Become 18: A Survival guide for Teenagers” published by The State Bar of California. This pamphlet can be ordered in print form or…
In San Diego, the law changed on June 16, 2008 in regards to marriage ceremony and the issuing of State of California marriage licenses to same sex couples. The law which applied to opposite sex couples is unchanged. In San Diego, both same sex and opposite sex couples will go…
In San Diego, we have many senior citizens. One article explains that talking frequently improves memory. An estate plan includes provisions for a conservatorship if necessary and our firm’s hope is that you never need this and that by good health [both mental and physical] a conservatorship will never be…
In San Diego, many residents will pass away. When they do, their husbands, wives, sons, daughters, grandchildren and other relatives will receive their property either through the probate process or through trust administration or other legal procedures for distribution of assets post death of the trustor. In San Diego, there…
In San Diego, California, we are governed by the laws of the United States and these are interpreted at the highest level by the California Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. In San Diego, for the State Courts, the law is interpreted by the San Diego Superior Court.…