The Journal — Plain-English Estate Law
Plain-English guidance on wills, trusts, probate, and protecting your family in California.
How to Transfer a Car Title After a Death in California
You usually don't need probate for a vehicle. The DMV REG 5 affidavit, the surviving-spouse option, and the exact steps to transfer a car title after a death.
Read →Your Will Says One Thing, Your 401(k) Another – Which Wins? (California)
The beneficiary form wins. Why life insurance, 401(k)s, and IRAs pass outside your will, the ex-spouse disaster ERISA creates, and the audit you should run today.
Read →Are Payable-on-Death Accounts as Good as a Trust? (California)
POD and TOD accounts avoid probate cheaply but cover nothing if you're incapacitated and can't protect minor or special-needs heirs. When they're fine, and when they aren't.
Read →Do Stepchildren Inherit in California?
Without a will, trust, or adoption, stepchildren inherit nothing in California, with one narrow exception. What to do if you want to include (or exclude) them.
Read →Does a Prenup Override a Will or Trust in California?
A valid prenup can waive a spouse's inheritance and omitted-spouse rights, so it can control what a spouse gets. Why your prenup and estate plan must be kept…
Read →Non-Citizen Spouse and the Estate Tax: The QDOT Rule (California)
The unlimited marital deduction doesn't apply to a non-citizen spouse. How a QDOT defers the estate tax, the $194,000 gift limit, and who actually needs to plan for…
Read →The California Statutory Will: When the Free Form Is Enough
California's Probate Code 6240 statutory will is a free, valid fill-in-the-blank form. Who it actually works for, and why owning a home usually means you need more.
Read →Per Stirpes vs. Per Capita in California: What They Actually Mean
Per stirpes sends a deceased beneficiary's share down to their kids; per capita splits among survivors. California's default, and which one most parents actually want.
Read →Want a straight read on where you stand?
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