Author: Lockhart Gardner

Looking for the best Living Trust attorneys in the Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, or Calabasas, California area? Please consider our CunninghamLegal office in Westlake Village, headed by two popular and proven estate attorneys, Jeff Rosen and Janice Lee Shen. Jeff and Janice work with people throughout the Conejo Valley as they create Living Trusts, Wills, Powers-of-Attorney,...

Fix Your Outdated Living Trust Now! By Tasha Jahn, Attorney-at-Law Remember that Living Trust you created five or ten years ago? I’m sorry to tell you it was just the beginning. Since then, your family probably changed, your assets certainly changed, and believe me, the tax laws changed a lot. That means the Estate Plan that’s been sitting quietly in your drawer all this time has likely...

A California Living Trust Attorney Discusses Asset Protection Strategies & Trusts by Jeffrey Rosen, Attorney at Law Here’s a disaster I see all too often in my practice, and it breaks my heart: An inheritance which required a lifetime to accumulate is taken in an instant by a predator, creditor, or divorce after it transfers to a loved one. Lawsuits are at an all-time high. Divorce hits at...

Eight Steps for New Trustees by James L. Cunningham Jr., Attorney at Law I realize that you have just faced the difficult truth of a loved one passing away. Unfortunately, I must tell you that another difficult truth awaits: If you were named as the Trustee of an estate, it can be more than a little stressful going through a loved one’s things, finding their financials and deeds, paying their...

Are you looking for a local Pasadena estate attorney to help create your California Living Trust? I hope you’ll consider our Pasadena Estate Planning office, headed by superb attorneys Conner Clemons and Liz Seitz, and serving clients throughout the San Gabriel Valley. It’s not easy choosing a Living Trust attorney—or at least, it shouldn’t be. You Really Do Need a Specialist Estate planning...

As a family member or trustee for a decedent, you are often managing mail on behalf of your loved one. While it is quite common to receive checks made payable to a decedent, it is always important to note the source of the income to determine if it is collectable or not. Case in point: the stimulus checks that many Americans are receiving right now. The IRS has issued guidance stating that the...

News about the Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) is everywhere, and we have all been affected by it in some way, even if we are currently completely healthy. Although it may seem as though circumstances are spinning beyond our control, we are not powerless. There are steps we can take to protect ourselves and our families, both physically and financially.  Constant news reports about COVID-19 have...

The CARES Act was passed in March 2020. The legislation provided economic relief in various forms— one of these forms was to provide relief to those who use tax favored retirement accounts. Many of our clients’ largest asset are their IRAs and 401(k)s. For years, when someone turned 70 ½, they would be forced to take a distribution from their IRA / 401(k) and pay taxes on that...

Estate planning for families is more important than ever during the Coronavirus pandemic. This week we would like to highlight the importance of getting your plan in place if you have minor or special needs children. Parents need to have their foundational estate planning documents including a revocable living trust, powers of attorney and advanced health care directives. However, plans need...

While it is important during this Coronavirus pandemic to make sure that each of us has our own estate plans in place, our office continues to receive many inquiries about Trust administration during COVID-19. Trust administration is necessary when a loved one is incapacitated, a spouse passes away or a Trust is terminated following the death of a single person or a surviving spouse. People...