Plain-spoken answers to the questions families ask us. These articles are educational material, not legal advice, and shouldn’t be relied on as legal counsel.
A recently announced movie featuring Meryl Streep and Carey Mulligan will focus on the issue of women gaining the vote. The film will tell the story of the British women who championed the suffrage movement in early 20th century England.
2015 is coming to a close. If you run a business, there are a couple of things you should do, before the year ends. First, you should speak to your CPA and see if there are any end-of year tax planning you can do.
The fashion world lost a great icon, Oscar De La Renta, late last year and now his estate is being subjected to media scrutiny. The fashion designer did not have a living trust in place, but instead he had written a will.
A high-profile lawsuit was recently settled between singer Harry Belafonte and the estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The lawsuit was brought in order to determine who had legal claim to specific personal papers of Dr. King’s, including notes for a speech and a letter from then-President Lyndon Johnson.
Many married couples wonder why they need an estate plan if they have no children and already hold all of their assets jointly.
One of Kelly Phillips Erb’s recent Taxgirl columns in Forbes addressed the ongoing questions, issues and conflicts that have accompanied major changes in America’s healthcare laws. Though Ms. Erb covers topics relating to taxes, tax credits and the like, my bailiwick is estate planning law. Healthcare? What’s the connection?
At an initial consultation, we often hear clients say that although they are not legally married, they have a “common law marriage”. This popular misconception can cause a good amount of trouble for your loved ones upon your passing or incapacity. In California, there is no such thing as “common law marriage”.
Estate planning is an evolving area of law, and a prime example of this is the various green burial options available to the eco-friendly client.
Regular readers of my blog probably understand that estate planning laws can differ from state to state. For example, California and several others are known as “community property” states. So in this blog we’ll explore what comprises community property versus separate property, and how both relate to estate plans.
It seems celebrity rumors are all over the media, all the time. For example, one recent rumor announced that acress Charlize Theron and actor Sean Penn are engaged. Then, a mere few days later, that rumor was squelched, with the couple announcing in news stories that they are ” just good friends”.
Sometimes, the most interesting topics for this blog arise out of ordinary conversations. Recently a friend related to me the circumstances of a troubled friend of hers. The friend was concerned that her siblings were going to “cheat” her out of any forthcoming inheritance upon the death of their mother.
Apple is constantly releasing new updates that make our lives easier. With a recent update, and the introduction of the Health App, you can now use you iPhone as an emergency contact card–even when it’s locked. To enable this feature, follow these steps: 1.