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As the old saying goes, “you can’t pick your neighbors.” In Southern California where property is a valuable commodity, it is common for adjoining properties to be close in proximity. One issue that is relatively common due to the lack of significant distance between neighbors is the responsibilities of property owners when a tree is […]
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by Andrea Shoup
As we go through life, estate planning is something that can easily get pushed to the back of our minds and sit lower on our priority list of things to do. However, when we approach an older age or are diagnosed with a terminal illness, estate planning suddenly becomes more prevalent. So what do you […]
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by Andrea Shoup
The fact is, estate planning gets more complex if you have been married multiple times, taken on stepchildren, or had children with your new spouse. You do not want to leave anyone out your estate plan. If you were to leave all of your assets to your new spouse, your children from a previous marriage […]
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by Andrea Shoup
If you have an estate plan, do you still have a need for a life insurance policy? Even if you have plenty of assets to pass down to your loved ones after your passing, having life insurance will still help you prepare for the unexpected. 5 Ways to Include Life Insurance into Your Estate Plan […]
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by Andrea Shoup
Taking care of a child with special needs can come with challenges, including financial ones. However, you want to set your child up for success in every way, which means allowing them to take care of their medical situation with the best financial means possible. The question is, how can you save large amounts of […]
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by Ednna Ibarra
Approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas are made available every fiscal year under United States immigration laws to qualified applicants with a job offer from a U.S. employer. However, due to the restrictions and staffing shortages during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many family and employment-based visas were not used during fiscal year 2021. As a result, […]
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by TVBJ
You may find it challenging to talk about what would happen to your children if you and your spouse were to pass away. No one wants to imagine such a tragic, unexpected accident. But part of taking care of your children is preparing for the unimaginable. When you sit down with a sensitive, experienced lawyer […]
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by TVBJ
Approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas are made available every fiscal year under United States immigration laws to qualified applicants with a job offer from a U.S. employer. However, due to the restrictions and staffing shortages during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, many family and employment-based visas were not used during fiscal year 2021. As a result, […]
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by Andrea Shoup
Probate is the process of distributing assets after a person’s death. It is a legal process that can be lengthy at times and comes with legal fees. If someone does not have a will, then the assets go to probate court to determine who legally should inherit them. Unfortunately, sometimes family members argue over specific […]
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by Andrea Shoup
Estate planning and retirement planning are essential for ensuring financial stability for you and your loved ones late in life. While both are equally important, they are quite different from one another. Retirement planning is setting up funds and goals to achieve a steady income after retiring from the workforce. There could be 30 years […]
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A recent California Court of Appeal case out of the Second Appellate District entitled Dr. V. Productions, Inc. v. Samantha Rey (2021) 68 Cal.App.5th 793, involved a party seeking attorney’s fees pursuant to California Civil Code § 3426.4 on what they alleged was a bad faith trade secret misappropriation claim made against them. While the […]
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by TVBJ
A medical power of attorney is a legal contract that specifies who will make all of your medical decisions if you are not able to make them by yourself. This contract is called a durable power of attorney, meaning it activates once you are decided to be unfit or incapacitated. Why You Need a Medical […]
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by TVBJ
Reid & Hellyer, A Professional Corporation, welcomes Ednna Meraz Ibarra as an associate attorney in its Murrieta office. Her practice focuses on immigration and business transactional law. Ms. Ibarra heads the firm’s immigration practice and handles family and employment-based immigration matters. She also practices business transactional law. Ms. Ibarra is fluent in Spanish and English. […]
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by Andrea Shoup
Grantor trusts are a widely used strategy in estate planning. This strategy includes transferring your assets to a trust so that all of your assets and finances do not go into limbo upon your passing. Right now, you can save in estate taxes by transferring assets to a trust. You remain the owner of the […]
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by TVBJ
The proposed tax legislation is not yet passed, but if it does, it will take effect in 2022. President Biden has promised not to raise taxes on households that make $400,000 or less annually. This means that it is likely that the tax increases will affect households and businesses that are of higher net worth. […]
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by Andrea Shoup
Have you heard legal experts recommend that you should avoid probate whenever possible? Unfortunately, the probate process has earned a bad reputation in the estate planning industry because of the time and cost it causes for the family. The good news is that advanced planning can help you minimize the risk of your estate going […]
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by TVBJ
Estate planning isn’t only for the wealthy – preparing an estate plan is an essential step for people at all income levels. Anything that you own is part of your estate, regardless of the value of your assets. It’s worth the effort to design a plan so you can protect as much value as possible […]
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by Andrea Shoup
Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, responsible for more than 44 percent of the country’s economic activity and two-thirds of all new jobs. Starting and growing a small business requires fortitude, flexibility, and good ideas about what your customers want and how to deliver it. Building a viable business requires a solid […]
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There has been a rise in couples cohabitating and purchasing real property together before getting married. While California is a community property state, California Law does not recognize common law marriages, and unmarried individuals are generally not entitled to support following a breakup. I have had countless consultations with individuals who purchased real property with […]
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Many taxpayers are struggling to pay their taxes due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic If you fall behind on your taxes, the IRS may issue a tax levy or a tax lien on your property because you have a responsibility as a taxpayer to comply with tax laws. Knowing the difference between the two can […]
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by Don Hitzeman
There was a time when only employers of 50 or more employees were required to offer their employees up to 12 weeks per year of job-protected unpaid leaves with continuing group medical benefits, because of the employee’s serious health condition, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or child bonding with […]
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by TVBJ
Here are Your Next Steps If the COVID-19 Pandemic and ensuing shutdowns taught us anything, it’s that life and our plans can change fast. In 2020, some of us learned, far too well, that having no plans in place can result in numerous unintended consequences for ourselves and our families when the unexpected occurs. In […]
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by Andrea Shoup
There are potentially more new tax laws likely to affect Californians this year than Proposition 19, which we’ve covered extensively here in this blog and through a series of webinars. (Prop 19 went into effect on February 16, dramatically changing property tax rules in California around intrafamily transfers of real estate, what can be exempted […]
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by TVBJ
When we think about Estate Planning, we usually focus on real estate, such as primary residences, vacation homes, and commercial property and how those assets get handled upon our passing or incapacitation to minimize taxes and avoid probate court. Including a home and other real estate in a living Trust is a preferred strategy for […]