The controversy surrounding the estate of painter Thomas Kinkade, including his palatial mansion in Monte Sereno, California, will continue as the court begins probate proceedings early next month. Among the issues at the heart of the controversy are the validity of...
Month: June 2012
Potential 2013 tax increases would affect many in California
Sacramento residents may want to prepare themselves for a tax hike next year. According to Republicans, in 2013 we will see the largest tax increase in U.S. history. From a pure dollars and cents perspective this is true, but when measured as a percentage of gross...
Include digital assets in estate plans to avoid confusion
California residents are living more and more of their lives online. Many areas of law have evolved in response to the popularity of online activities. But laws governing what happens to a person's online assets--which can include blogs, email accounts and social...
Estate planners advise taking advantage of gift-tax exemption
Without federal legislative intervention before the New Year, the current generous gift tax exemption of $5.12 million could revert to $1 million. People in Sacramento seeking to pass along their financial assets might want to calculate the effect a vastly reduced...
ABA: Cheaper estate planning may lack proper requirements
During an economic downturn, people look for ways to save money. Sometimes the less expensive option turns out to cost more in the end. One technique of conserving cash that may lead to costly mistakes is pursuing the do-it-yourself approach instead of hiring...