Sometimes people ask a family member who has good credit to participate on a loan to purchase a home. The family member’s name is added to title (ownership) even though they may pay little or nothing towards either the home’s original purchase price or its on-going mortgage, tax and maintenance payments of […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MoreIn terms of a decedent’s own creditors, does it matter whether assets are distributed to decedent’s beneficiaries through a probate estate or by non-probate transfers? Yes, it does, especially regarding persons other than the decedent’s surviving spouse who are not personally liable for the decedent’s debts. Assets that […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MoreA competent settlor(s)’s power to revoke a living trust and return the assets into his or her name(s) is equal to ownership of the trust assets. So long as the settlor is competent, the trustee owes his primary duty to the settlor and can follow the written instructions of the settlor. What […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MorePeople with large gun collections or a family tradition of guns may wish to consider a so-called “gun trust”. Let us examine the various reasons for the gun trust. First, the most often stated reason for a gun trust is to comply with federal National Fire Arm (“NFA”) and […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MoreThe objectives of agents acting under a power of attorney can be frustrated when banks, brokerages, or title companies refuse to accept the authority granted to the agent under a duly executed power of attorney. This can happen even though the power of attorney appears to be valid. Let us first discuss […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MorePeople who relocate into or out-of California may confront the issue of whether the living trust that they established in the state of their former residence should be revoked and a new trust established under the laws of their new state of residence. Let us discuss the issues. Trusts […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MorePeople should know the legal requirements for the proper execution (signing) of wills. Under California law, the execution of a will must be witnessed by two persons generally competent to act as witnesses, such as a Lake County wills attorney. Wills are not notarized. An exception exists for handwritten wills — so-called […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MoreAn individual who receives Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) receives a maximum of $866 a month in 2013. This amount is supposed to be enough to provide for all the food and shelter necessities of life. It includes rent, electricity, heat, and food. Not surprisingly, given the cost of living, many SSI recipients still rely […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MoreParents with a child who has developmental disabilities face different challenges during the life of their disabled child. These can be grouped into four different stages based on age. Let us consider what is important at each stage. Stage 1, from birth till age 3, involves the “Individual Family Services Plan” (“IFSP”). The […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
Read MoreCalifornia has enacted a new statutory exclusion from change in ownership for local tax assessments that protects certain cotenants (co-owners) from reassessment at the death of a cotenant. Real property that has been held for a long time is often taxed at a lower value than it would be if its value were reassessed […]
posted on: January 26, 2015
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