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 →How to Disclaim (Refuse) an Inheritance in California
You can legally refuse an inheritance in California: a timeshare, a mortgaged house, or for tax reasons. The 9-month window, the paperwork, and the traps.
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 →Want a straight read on where you stand?
Talk to Eric. A free 30-minute call, no pitch. He’ll tell you where you’re exposed, what it would cost to fix, and what you can skip.
Talk to Eric