Legal

Thinking about estate planning can feel like a burden. You never want to imagine unexpectedly passing away and what would happen to your assets or, more importantly, your children. What do you need to do to start the estate planning process? And what makes the planning different as a single parent? Estate Planning for Single […]

At the stroke of Midnight on December 31, 2022, we say good-bye to the old year and usher in the New Year – 2023. Then, at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2023, we say hello to several changes in Labor and Employment Laws in the State of California. Here are some o those changes which […]

Many people travel during the holidays, whisking out of the country or off to the beach to escape the cold. Before you leave on vacation, do you have your estate planning up to date? It is always a good idea to make plans for the unexpected before going on vacation. Estate Planning Before Holiday Vacations […]

The United States Department of State reported on October 1, 2022 that, in fiscal year 2022, a total of 281,507 visas were issued among its five employment-based preference categories – a number that is over double the annual allotment of 140,000 employment-based visas. For fiscal year 2023, the Department of State projects a total of […]

If you have aging loved ones, you know how pressing it feels to make sure their affairs are in order if they were to pass away. Unfortunately, your parents or grandparents may not feel the same urgency that you feel. Maybe they are not educated on how important it is to create an estate plan. […]

On September 29, 2022, Governor Gavin Newson signed AB 1041, expanding an employee’s right to take up to 12 weeks of protected unpaid leave from work to care for a person designated by the employee, starting January 1, 2023. The California Family Rights Act, originally enacted in 1993, was amended in 2020 to expand the […]

A will is an excellent tool to make a plan for your assets and heirs after you die. Everyone needs to have an estate plan, but most people do not make a plan until they approach the golden years in life. Unfortunately, oftentimes people pass away unexpectedly, never having made arrangements for a will. Here’s […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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. […]

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 […]