Revocable trusts are the more flexible of the two structures. When you create a revocable trust, you retain control over the assets you place in it during your lifetime. As long as you are legally competent, you can add or remove assets, change beneficiaries or trustees, adjust distribution terms, or revoke the trust entirely. In […]
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Can You Disinherit a Spouse in California?
California law makes it very difficult to completely disinherit a spouse. The state’s community property system gives your surviving spouse a legal claim to a significant portion of your estate, regardless of what your will or trust says. Understanding where those boundaries are helps you make informed decisions about how your estate plan is structured. […]
Protecting Your Home from Deed Theft in California
Hey there, Bridget MacKay from MacKay Dressler Law Firm. Today I’m going to tell you what deed theft is, how the scammers do it, and what you can do to protect yourself. So this video might be a little longer than the others, so I just want to warn you for that, but there’s […]
Is a Cash-Value Life Insurance Policy Right for You?
Most life insurance policies are simple: You take out a policy for a set face value and a specific number of years. Term life insurance Maybe you take out a term life insurance policy for $500,000 that lasts for 30 years. You make your premium payments each year until the policy expires. If you […]
Is There a California Estate Tax?
Is there a California estate tax? The short answer is no. California does not impose a state estate tax. When you die as a California resident, no state agency will assess a tax on your estate based on its value at death. For the vast majority of California families, that also means no federal estate […]
Still Fighting: The Estate Planning Legacy of Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty spent years fighting breast cancer with courage and candor. In her final days, she also fought to finalize her divorce – signing the settlement just one day before she died. More than a year later, her estate is still fighting to enforce it. Shannen’s story is a powerful reminder that even the best-laid plans can unravel when the wrong people are involved – and that naming the right Trustee may be the most important decision you ever make.
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