RECENT POSTS
Retirement Planning for Same-Sex Married Couples
Trusts & Estate Planning Attorney by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 In September, the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Ruling 2013-17 which clarified when, for federal tax purposes, the IRS will recognize same-sex marriages. As of
Maximizing Annual Gifts
Trusts & Estate Planning Attorney by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 Individuals with estates that are valued over the Federal estate tax exemption ($5,250,000 in 2013) should consider making annual gifts to their family now so
How Does the DOMA Ruling Affect Estate Planning?
Trusts & Estate Planning Attorney by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 The United States Supreme Court’s ruling on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on June 26, declaring the definition of marriage as
Designated Beneficiary Assets: Consider Your Income, Capital Gains & Estate Taxes
Trusts & Estate Planning Attorney by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 In the third segment of our series regarding Gift Tax & Estate Planning, we’ll examine assets that require designated beneficiaries, specifically: IRA accounts, retirement accounts, life
Using Life Insurance and Irrevocable Trusts in Estate Planning
Trusts & Estate Planning Attorney by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 Continuing with Part 2 of our Gift Tax and Estate Planning blog series (we discussed Living Trusts in Part 1 of the series), we now
A Living Trust – One of Many Tools for Protecting Your Estate
Trusts & Estate Planning Attorney by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 A living trust is not the only vehicle that individuals need to consider when completing an estate plan. There are several other types of trusts
A Comment on Trademarking Celebratory Gestures
San Fernando Valley Business Litigation Lawyer by Nicholas Kanter 818.907.3289 On America’s Got Talent, Sharon Osbourne’s signature gesture to the audience was a heart symbol shaped by her hands. Now, a counterpart from the UK is
The Tax Increases Have Begun
by Lewitt Hackman’s Trusts & Estate Planning Practice Group December 4, 2012 With the “fiscal cliff” discussions front and center, many people do not realize that certain tax increases are already being implemented, both at the
California Home Care Services: Senior Fraud Prevention
Estate Planning & Trust Attorney by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, elder abuse and senior fraud are common crimes because of several factors: Senior citizens tend to have valuable
Social Security Benefits | 10 Retirement FAQs
Trusts & Estate Planning by Kira S. Masteller 818.907.3244 We’ve all heard about the financial difficulties engulfing our nation’s Social Security program. Decades ago, there were nearly five workers paying into Social Security for every