WHAT IS A TRUST PROTECTOR?

WHAT IS A TRUST PROTECTOR?

Uniform Directed Trust Act: The California Uniform Directed Trust Act (“UDTA”) came into effect January 1, 2024; amending California Probate Code by adding Sections 16600 through 16632, explicitly authorizing the use of directed trusts. A directed trust allows persons...
WHAT IS A HOLOGRAPHIC INSTRUMENT?

WHAT IS A HOLOGRAPHIC INSTRUMENT?

WHAT IS A HOLOGRAPHIC INSTRUMENT? Handwritten Will: The term holographic instrument is typically used to reference a handwritten will – that is, a will in the testator’s handwriting instead of being typed out in a more traditional fashion. California considers...
Gift Tax

Gift Tax

WHAT IS GIFT TAX? The Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) imposes a gift tax on transfers of assets to an individual other than a spouse or dependent when such transfers exceed a specified amount – often referred to as an annual exclusion amount. Similar to the estate tax...
COST BASIS RULES: JOINT TENANCY

COST BASIS RULES: JOINT TENANCY

COST BASIS RULES: JOINT TENANCY  When someone inherits an asset, it can be difficult to understand what their potential tax liability will be, especially if they already owned an interest in that asset. In this article, we are going to discuss what California...