The Journal — Plain-English Estate Law
Plain-English guidance on wills, trusts, probate, and protecting your family in California.
Can You Disinherit Your Spouse in California?
You can only give away your half: community property limits what any California will or trust can do to a spouse. Omitted-spouse rights, valid waivers, and what actually…
Read →Do Beneficiaries Pay Taxes on Trust Distributions in California?
Sometimes, it depends on DNI, not on whether the check is labeled 'principal.' How K-1s work, what's taxable, and the California throwback rule nobody warns you about.
Read →Do Irrevocable Trust Assets Get a Step-Up in Basis at Death?
Only if the assets are included in the taxable estate: Rev. Rul. 2023-2 settled it. What that means for California families, plus the community-property double step-up.
Read →What Happens to Your HSA When You Die? Beneficiary Rules
A spouse inherits an HSA tax-free; anyone else owes income tax on the whole balance that year. The exact rules, plus California's HSA tax quirk nobody mentions.
Read →Am I Responsible for My Deceased Parents’ Debts in California?
In almost every case, no. The estate pays, not you. The real exceptions (co-signed loans, community property), and the truth about California's filial responsibility law.
Read →How to Transfer Stocks and Brokerage Accounts After a Death in California
TOD registrations, trust accounts, medallion signature guarantees, and the small-estate affidavit: how deceased relatives' investment accounts actually get transferred.
Read →Who Files a Deceased Person’s Final Tax Return in California?
Someone still has to file the year-of-death tax returns. Who signs, when Form 1310 is needed, and when the estate needs its own return (federal 1041 / California…
Read →What Happens to a UTMA Account When Your Child Turns 18 in California?
California custodial accounts end sooner than most parents think, often at 18. The actual ages under California's UTMA, and what to use instead for larger gifts.
Read →Want a straight read on where you stand?
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