What happens when one beneficiary wants to buyout another beneficiary’s interest in an inherited property? You might think this is a simple and straightforward process – one beneficiary compensates the other(s) for their share of the property and voila – takes the property. But here’s where you have to watch out. If everything isn’t done...Read More
The responsibility of being named trustee can feel overwhelming for many, especially if they are grieving the loss of a family member at the same time. Many of our clients feel that it’s helpful to have a list of what they can get started on. The first step a successor trustee should take is consulting...Read More
When a loved one passes away, it can be devastating and often overwhelming. If the person lived in California and had no estate planning documents, family members often feel lost as to how to proceed when it comes to handling the loved one’s assets. There are seemingly endless items that need to be dealt with...Read More
If you have a relative who has passed away without a trust in California, you will likely need to go through Probate in order to gain access to his or her assets. Before you attempt to file a Petition for Probate, you’ll want to know a few key tips about how the courts work in...Read More
When I was a senior in high school in 1998 and “Baby One More Time” came out, I could have never imagined the effect that Britney Spears would have on my future professional life! Now that her story is burning up social media, conservatorships have been a hot topic in the news cycle. The...Read More
author: marcen27 from Glasgow, UK In an unprecedented turn of events, Britney Spears took the stand yesterday in LA Probate Court to tell the Judge exactly how she felt about being conserved. Thirteen years into her Conservatorship, Britney elaborated on what she believes has been an “abusive” situation that has “traumatized” her. Prior to yesterday,...Read More
Michael Jackson’s Estate claimed Jackson’s name and image were valueless upon his death. The IRS strongly disagreed. Can you imagine a world in which pop icon Michael Jackson’s name and image truly have no value?? That is the question at the heart of a recent federal tax court order that clocked in at almost 300...Read More
Tom Girardi is a famous LA attorney, who, before late last year was perhaps best known for his role in the real life “Erin Brockovich” story. He is also known to many as the husband of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Erika Girardi. More recently, however, Mr. Girardi has become known for the massive...Read More
Prop 19 passed on November 3, 2020 and goes into effect in February of 2021. Prop 19 has a number of important consequences for inherited properties in California. Families now have a short period of time to take advantage of the current law and its rules regarding the “Parent Child Exclusion” for gifts of real...Read More
If you own a property, you’re likely very familiar with the concept (and payment) of property taxes. Property taxes are due annually when you own a piece of real property (land/building) and are generally based on the assessed value of your property at the time you bought it, plus adjustments for inflation. Typically the...Read More
Originally published 12/21/20, updated 2/12/21 2020 was a difficult year for Britney Spears, and not because of the pandemic. If you haven’t seen the headlines yet – Britney’s Conservatorship was been in Court multiple times in 2020 and has undergone major changes. The most recent power struggle over Britney took place on February 11th of...Read More
Chadwick Boseman was a star beloved by many, and his tragic death at the age of 43 has been mourned around the world. Sadly, he battled colon cancer for nearly four years before eventually succumbing to it. During this time, Boseman performed in the role that would catapult his celebrity status to ultra famous –...Read More
One question we frequently get from prospective clients is “Can I be the Administrator in a California Probate even if I live out of state?” The answer is Yes, you can. And it’s actually not as difficult as one might think. Our firm frequently represents out of state Administrators in California Probate Matters. In this...Read More
In the time of quarantine and shelter in place, Courts around the San Francisco Bay Area are working quickly to put together plans for how to handle pending cases. Contra Costa County has outlined its Emergency Local Rules, just as San Francisco Probate Court has also done. But what is Alameda County doing? For a...Read More
-by Mark Miyasaki, Esq. In civil litigation, it should come as no surprise that the most common types of cases involve personal injury matters. Car accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, defamation, a wrongful death. The list goes on. What happens less often but may nevertheless find its way into a personal injury matter...Read More
How Talbot Law Group is seeing clients, getting documents signed and notarized, all while keeping safe social distancing. In these unusual times of social distancing and concerns about safety we at Talbot Law Firm are committed to helping our clients move forward with their estate plans. With law offices and the California court...Read More
-by Kurt Rifbjerg, Esq. The global onset of COVID-19 may impact a person’s ability to execute a formal, comprehensive estate plan. While our firm remains open and willing to help clients create and revise their estate plans as a legal necessity during these troubling times, we recognize that not everyone may be able to...Read More
Tiger King! Netflix’s hottest new show right now that everybody is streaming! On March 20, 2020, Netflix put out a new show that discusses large cat zoos in America. In episode 3, they discuss Carole Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Florida, in depth. The whole storyline in episode 3 is that Carole...Read More
Allegations of “gross mismanagement” by Ms. Franklin’s niece and her attorney were heard in the Michigan Courts this week. Allegations include excessive legal and Administrator fees, improper management of high value assets, failure to properly account for estate funds, and lack of communication with the heirs and beneficiaries. Because this is Aretha Franklin’s estate, “excessive...Read More
Understanding what exactly a Simple Revocable Trust is, and how it works, is confusing enough for most people. But the A/B Trust can really throw one for a loop. So what exactly is an A/B Trust and how do you navigate its complexities? The A/B Trust for Tax Purposes In prior decades, the federal estate...Read More
Recently, sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was found dead, allegedly by suicide. A number of people have raised questions what this means for his estate and the victims. At this time, there are more questions than answers. This is due to the extreme complexity of Epstein’s estate. It would be spread out over at least three...Read More
Aretha Franklin was no doubt one of the greatest singers of our time. With her vast estate back in probate court last week, I wanted to take the chance to talk about some of the issues that have arisen thus far. I’ll address each in turn in terms of how they work in California probate...Read More
Is Britney ready to take on her life without a conservatorship? The biggest pop star of the millennium is back in the headlines after canceling her return to Las Vegas for her new show Britney: Domination and announcing an indefinite work hiatus. She checked into a mental health facility for a few weeks and rumors...Read More
The New York Times recently took the opportunity to highlight this question in an article based on the hotly litigated estate of French celebrity Johnny Hallyday. The Hallyday family is currently fighting over whether or not his estate should pass according to French probate law or California probate law. California allows freedom to distribute assets...Read More
“Mad, bad and dangerous to know. That was him and that was me.” Speaking about himself and Lord Byron, Dylan McKay was the coolest guy at West Beverly High School and teen idol for an entire generation of teenagers in the 90’s. Played by actor Luke Perry in the long-running show Beverly Hills, 90210, his...Read More
Even as our family and friends live longer and healthier lives than ever before, eventually illness, accidents, and cognitive decline can create vulnerability and the need to depend on others for health and financial management. This dependency may create a situation where seniors are susceptible to financial abuse. People who prey on the vulnerability of...Read More
When Green Book was released and subsequently won the Oscar for Best Picture, Don Shirley’s story finally became widely known to the public. But who really knew Don Shirley? Was it his family, who claimed the movie was a “symphony of lies”, or was it the sole heir and executor of his estate, a Dutch...Read More
Couples with young children typically set up revocable trusts with their children’s well being as the top priority. Most trusts plan for the potential scenario where both parents are gone, but at least one child or grandchild remains. A well crafted trust will also specify who a couple’s assets will go to if no children...Read More
The Conservatorship of celebrity Amanda Bynes has been in and out of the California probate courts since 2013. Recently, Bynes’ Conservatorship of the Person was extended, while the Conservatorship of the Estate was terminated. Here’s a brief synopsis of how her Conservatorship has played out, and what we can learn from her experience. Amanda Bynes...Read More
