When Your Child Leaves for College, Don’t Forget to Pack Their Estate Plan!
High school graduation season has once again come and gone. Now the newly graduated high school seniors are looking to their futures, and many have plans to attend college in the fall. This is a very exciting time for them – the first step into adulthood. The checklist of things to bring with them to.. read more →
We’re Hosting Breakfast!
Drucker Law Offices is pleased to announce that we will be hosting the breakfast on Friday morning, October 17, 2014 at the 34th Annual Southern California Tax & Estate Planning Forum. The 34th Annual Forum will be held in San Diego, California from October 16th through October 18th at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel. This.. read more →
Estate Planning is Not a DIY Project
Weekends, for many, are the time to engage in “Do It Yourself” (DIY) projects. Not only does working on a DIY project give you a sense of accomplishment, but it also allows you to save the money that you would otherwise spend to hire someone to do it for you. Most DIY projects are practical.. read more →
To Be or Not to Be. . . the Trustee: That Is The Question Donald and Shelly Sterling Have Posed to the Probate Court
In Act III, Scene i of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet gives his famous soliloquy beginning with “[t]o be or not to be: that is the question” where he ponders the morality of suicide. Donald and Shelly Sterling are not contemplating the lofty issue of life versus death at this time, but the financial issue of who has.. read more →
The Battle to Control Casey Kasem’s Health Care
A colorful clash among members of Casey Kasem’s family has made news headlines lately over the issue of who is entitled to make health care decisions for the ailing 82-year-old radio and television icon. Casey suffers from Lewy Body Dementia, a disease similar to Parkinson’s Disease, which causes a progressive decline in cognitive abilities. The.. read more →
The Day the Music Died
As I sit here writing this blog article, I’m listening to the songs on my iTunes account, and it reminds me how far we have advanced technologically since I was a kid when there was no iTunes in existence. Instead, at that time, everyone collecting music had vinyl records. I started my own record collection.. read more →
Annual Exclusion Gift Amount Increases in 2013
The tax law allows all individuals to make gifts to other persons on an annual basis free of gift tax and without the requirement to file a gift tax return. These gifts are known as annual exclusion gifts. In 2012, the annual exclusion gift limit is $13,000 for each gift made to a person. This.. read more →
Can You Litigation-Proof Your Estate Plan?
As Benjamin Franklin, one of our country’s founding fathers, wisely stated, “[n]othing is certain except death and taxes.” Except as noted by Mr. Franklin, there are no guarantees in our lives, especially when it comes to the issue of whether you can make your estate plan “litigation proof.” In the area of trusts and estates.. read more →
Disguising Title to Real Estate
All deeds and other documents relating to real estate filed with the county recorder’s office in the county where the real estate is located are public records and anyone may access them. Although this fact is not a concern to most people, some people, particularly those in the entertainment industry, relish their privacy and do.. read more →
Leaving a Life Estate in the House to the Boyfriend
Estate planning for unmarried couples, whether they are of the opposite sex or the same sex, is challenging from a tax perspective. Upon the death of the first partner to die (we will call this person the “deceased partner”), his or her estate is not entitled to the benefit of the unlimited marital deduction from.. read more →