How to Give Money to Family Without Paying Gift Tax Many people want to help their children or grandchildren financially but worry about gift taxes. The good news is that the tax code provides a simple, legal way to give money — or even valuable assets like cars — without triggering tax consequences or reducing…
We Are All Going to Die. Write the Love Letter Before You Go. We don’t like to talk about death. It feels heavy, uncomfortable—maybe even a little scary. But here’s what we’ve learned at Kaminski Law Group after helping hundreds of families: Estate planning isn’t really about death. It’s about love. When you take the…
Planning for Pets Like Hope: What You Should Know About Pet Trusts in California Imagine a sweet, 17-year-old cat named Hope. She’s been by her owner’s side through years of companionship—curled up on the couch, waiting at the door, purring through every season of life. As she ages and her medical needs grow, her owner…
Forgotten but Not Left Behind: What Happens When a Spouse Is Omitted from an Estate Plan? Estate planning is all about preparation. But life happens—and sometimes, people get married after signing a will or trust and forget to update it. In these situations, the surviving spouse may be what California law calls a pretermitted spouse—someone unintentionally…
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…
