Over the years, I’ve been asked many times whether a Transfer on Death (TOD) Deed is a good way to pass down property. These deeds were designed to simplify estate planning by avoiding probate—but in practice, they often create more problems than they solve. I no longer recommend TOD deeds to my clients—and I don’t draft them—because…
The Scary Pitfalls of DIY Wills: Don’t Let Your Estate Plan Turn Into a Horror Story Halloween is a time for haunted houses, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night. But nothing is scarier than leaving your loved ones with a broken estate plan. Do-it-yourself wills may look harmless, but behind the mask…
Do You Want Your Funeral Livestreamed? (And Other Thoughts Your Ancestors Didn’t Need to Contemplate) By Kristin M. Kaminski, Kaminski Law Group When your great-great-grandparents passed away, their end-of-life plans probably didn’t involve a camera crew or a stable internet connection. The biggest questions were who would host the wake, which hymns to sing, and…
What Happens with Capital Gains Tax When You Inherit a Home in California? An example involving a daughter navigating her mother’s trust illustrates how the step-up in basis works. When Samantha’s mother, Mary Lou, passed away earlier this year, Samantha found herself navigating the responsibilities of trust administration for the first time. Mary Lou had…
“It’s Okay, Mom Wouldn’t Have Wanted That”: Understanding POLST, DNRs, and Advance Directives in California When emergency crews arrived, Susan felt her heart race. Her mother, Evelyn, had collapsed at home. Paramedics were ready to start CPR. “Wait,” Susan said through tears. “She didn’t want this. She made that clear.” But when they asked for…
