Most people in California don't have to be concerned about estate taxes when they prepare an estate plan. The federal estate tax only applies to estates that are worth more than $5,490,000. Married couples can effectively combine their estate tax exemptions, meaning...
Some readers may remember the probate fight involving former model Anna Nicole Smith and the estate of her deceased husband, Texas billionaire J. Howard Marshall. Smith married Marshall in 1994 when she was 26 and he was 89. When he died the following year, Smith was...
Probate in California can be expensive and time-consuming. But if an estate is of relatively modest size, a full estate administration proceeding may not be required. Under California's Probate Code, simplified proceedings are available for smaller estates.If the...
Creating a family trust that will endure for generations is an ambition of many people who have amassed significant wealth. Under California law, however, there is a limit on how long an interest created by a trust can last. That limit is called the "rule against...
