Living Trusts Over the last two decades, the popularity of Living Trusts has skyrocketed. No longer are a tool just for the rich, Living Trusts one of the most common estate planning tools in use today. In fact, today’s estate planning is not just about death and taxes, but includes protection of one’s assets from…
How an AB Trust Works Under the old tax laws, each spouse had an estate tax exemption, but typically, the first spouse to die didn’t use his or her exemption. That’s because most spouses left everything to the survivor, and bequests to a surviving spouse aren’t subject to estate tax. (This rule is called the…
I am often asked how liability insurance is different from entity liability protection. Liability insurance is purchased from an insurance company to cover claims against the business. Business entities such as limited liability companies (LLC’s) and corporations provide limited liability protection, which prevents creditors from seizing the business owners’ assets. Business owners do not realize…
If you become unable to direct your own medical care because of illness, an accident, or advanced age, the right legal documents are your lifeline. When you don’t write down your wishes about the kinds of medical treatment you want and name someone you trust to oversee your care, these important matters can be placed…
Most marriage-oriented trusts postpone payment of estate taxes until both spouses in a marriage have died. A marital deduction trust allows you to put property in trust with your spouse as the beneficiary. Upon your death, your spouse has the right to use the property in the trust. No matter how valuable the property in…
Many times employers improperly classify their employees as independent contractors so they, the employers, do not have to pay payroll taxes, the minimum wage or overtime, comply with other wage and hour law requirements such as providing meal periods and rest breaks, or reimburse their workers for business expenses incurred in performing their jobs. Moreover,…
I am often asked how liability insurance is different from entity liability protection. Liability insurance is purchased from an insurance company to cover claims against the business. Business entities such as limited liability companies (LLC’s) and corporations provide limited liability protection, which prevents creditors from seizing the business owners’ assets. Business owners do not realize…
Many believe that setting up an estate plan is all there is to estate planning. This is incorrect, and potentially disastrous. Estate plans need to be updated if certain life changes occur, and if there are no life changes, every three to four years. By leaving an estate plan stagnant, trustors put themselves and their beneficiaries…
Under California law (which is much more generous to employees than federal law), if you are a non-exempt worker, you are entitled to meal and rest breaks: a 30-minute meal break if you work more than 5 hours in a workday, and 10 minutes breaks for every 4 hours you work. There are other requirements…
For the savvy entrepreneur, incorporating a business can be a great way to lower the tax bill, ensure the business lives on, and gain legitimacy as an established business. However, the number-one reason to incorporate or form an LLC (limited liability company) is to protect any personal assets from the liability of the business. Separating…
