The Journal — Plain-English Estate Law
Plain-English guidance on wills, trusts, probate, and protecting your family in California.
Do California Trusts and LLCs Have to File a BOI Report? (2026 Update)
Short answer: As of 2026, if your LLC or corporation was formed in the United States, you do not have to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report…
Read →A Trust Beneficiary’s Right to an Accounting in California
Short answer: If you are a beneficiary of an irrevocable California trust, including a revocable trust that became irrevocable when the person who created it died, you generally…
Read →Gift Tax in 2026: What California Families Can Give Tax-Free
Short answer: In 2026 you can give up to $19,000 per person, per year to as many people as you like without filing anything or owing any tax.…
Read →Estate Planning Attorneys in Camarillo, CA (2026 Guide)
How to choose a Camarillo estate planning attorney in 2026: real local firms, Certified Specialists, flat fees, and California probate vs. trust costs.
Read →Top Estate Planning Attorneys in Thousand Oaks (2026 Guide)
How to choose an estate planning attorney in Thousand Oaks & Westlake Village. Real firms, verified credentials, probate costs, and Ventura County specifics.
Read →No-Contest Clauses in California Trusts
A no-contest clause looks absolute on paper, but California's 2010 statutory rewrite narrowed it a lot. Here's what actually triggers forfeiture and what doesn't.
Read →Is a Transfer-on-Death Deed a Good Idea in California?
Sometimes, but it is a narrow tool. A California transfer-on-death deed (TOD deed), a revocable deed that names a beneficiary to receive one residential property at your death…
Read →What Happens If You Die Without a Will in California?
If you die without a will in California, you die “intestate,” and California’s intestate-succession statutes, not your wishes, decide who inherits (Prob. Code §6400). The most common myth…
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