When the subject of inheritance is being discussed, people almost always ask this question to their Will and Trust lawyer in Santa Clara County. Here is what you need to know about how you might be taxed on an inheritance. Income Taxes The IRS expects you to report every source of income. This leads many […]

A Power of Attorney is a legal device that is used to give someone the power to act on your behalf if you are unable to. For example, if you have Alzheimer’s disease, there is a possibility that you will get to the point where it is no longer possible for you to make decisions. […]

The Centers for Medicare and Medi-Cal Services (CMS) just made a momentous change of federal nursing home regulations. Nursing homes are now banned from using pre-dispute binding arbitration agreements. This means nursing homes can no longer force you to sign away your right to due process. Let me explain…. Before this regulation change, nursing homes […]

It’s hard to believe that more than half of all adults in America do not have a Last Will and Testament or Trust in place, especially with so many public stories of celebrities who left their estates a mess by not leaving behind a Will, leaving an invalid Will, or not properly funding their Trusts. […]

If I had to pick one question that I am asked the most, I’d have to say this one ranks way up there… Do I need a new estate plan if I move out of California? Just like the answer to most estate planning questions, the answer is “it depends.” However, this one has a […]

Trusts are important legal relationships that involve a Grantor who creates a Trust to hold property, a Trustee who holds or manages the property in the Trust, and a Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries) who eventually receives the property. While there are many types of Trusts, they can be broken down into two categories: Revocable and Irrevocable. […]

As those of you who have been to my seminars know, when a person has received Medi-Cal benefits, that person’s estate may be subject to Medi-Cal Recovery. That means the state can recover for the costs of certain services it paid for during the person’s lifetime. As of January 1, 2017, the rules regarding what services are recoverable […]

Choosing a legal guardian who can raise your kids if you are unexpectedly incapacitated or pass away can be a daunting and difficult challenge. There are many things to take into account such as parenting styles and the potential guardian’s ability to love and take care of your children. These are just some of the […]

…And How May Seniors or People With Disabilities Benefit from One? When making decisions on care and insurance coverage for disabled and/or elderly loved ones, it’s easy to get lost in the myriad of choices and complicated regulations. With Medi-Cal there are income caps and asset limits, so individuals often do not qualify because their […]

If you have a properly executed Will or Trust in place, good for you! You’ve taken a great step toward protecting your assets for future generations. But establishing an estate plan is only the first step. You still need to make sure that your plan will stay rock solid by keeping it up to date. […]