Your Retirement Accounts Don’t Go “IN” Your Living Trust!
I can’t tell you how many times clients tell me, “Yeah, I put my IRA in my living trust.” You see, an... Read More
Beware, Joint Ownership Can Destroy Even the Best Estate Plan!
One of the biggest problems people make in estate planning is joint ownership. We are not talking about when a husband and... Read More
If Your Trust Is Not Properly Funded, It’s Worthless
Recently I met with an international couple who have a manufacturing business in Orange County. He is from Japan she is from... Read More
Avoiding the Groucho Marx Problem
Groucho Marx got caught in a conservatorship because he became senile and could no longer take care of himself. Even though Groucho... Read More
What Clients Are Saying About W. Bailey Smith: “We Have Used The Trust Doctor for 25 Years”
“Bailey is one of the few certified estate tax attorneys in Orange County. He drafted our estate plan. He represented us in... Read More
New Death Tax, Gift Tax and GST Tax Exemptions in 2022
What are the new tax exclusion amounts for 2022? The total amount that a US citizen can transfer to another individual free... Read More
Should I Tell My Children About My Inheritance Plan?
Yes, as I believe transparency is the best approach to estate planning. Transparency varies between families but at a minimum, you need... Read More
Decanting California Trusts: It’s Not Just For Wine
While decanting a good bottle of wine may be familiar to many people, California recently reenacted a law that allows a new... Read More
Trusts in the Age of Trump: Time to Re-Engineer Your Estate Plan
The federal tax overhaul doubled the amount of wealth you can pass to heirs estate-tax-free–without using any trusts or planning gimmicks. Trump’s... Read More
Busting A-B Trust
IS YOUR TRUST A TICKING TIME BOMB? These days very few families need a complicated tax avoidance trust also known as an... Read More