Stack of hundred dollar bills around a yellow book with 'Fraud' in red underline. Represents New HOA Laws in California

New HOA Laws in California

New Anti-Fraud Laws Are Enacted In California To Protect HOA Members New HOA Laws in California: An anti-fraud bill intended to safeguard HOA members in California breezed through the legislature without any opposition and became law on January 1, 2019. Key Amendments to California’s Davis-Sterling Common Interest Development Act The bill, which proposes several amendments…

Female attorney smiling, working on Expert Estate Planning Strategies, Personal Liability Protection, Limited Partnerships with Hudack Law, APC

Corporate Entity Planning: A Key Element in Estate Planning Strategies

Corporate Entity Planning (LLCs, S-Corporations, Limited Partnerships) Clients frequently have estate planning objectives that corporate entity planning can help them realize. Hudack Law, APC specializes in comprehensive corporate entity planning, which includes the establishment of LLCs, S-Corporations, and Family Partnerships. These strategies provide clients significant benefits, including personal liability protection and favorable tax consequences for…

Trust Amendment vs. Restatement: Minor changes and major revisions explained, illustrated with an adult helping a baby climb a tree.

Trust Amendments vs. Restatements

In general, if the changes are minor, such as 1) adding or deleting specific bequests, 2) changing who will serve as successor trustee, or 3) updating a beneficiary’s or the successor trustee’s legal name due to marriage or divorce, then a simple trust amendment will be sufficient. There really aren’t any established written rules as…

Woman reviewing legal documents as part of trustee and administrator roles.

What Distinguishes a Trustee from an Administrator from an Executor?

Understanding the Distinctions: Trustee, Administrator, and Executor The world of estate management can be confusing, particularly when it comes to the terms trustee, administrator, and executor. Often used interchangeably, these terms actually have distinct meanings and roles in handling an individual’s assets after they pass away. In this article, we’ll unravel the differences between them…

Man calculating and counting money. Leveraging the Permanent Exemption for estate tax planning

The Permanent Exemption

The Permanent Exemption: Maximizing Your Estate’s Tax Benefits Undoubtedly, you want to keep your estate’s tax burden below 40%. Fortunately, every taxpayer has the right to use the lifetime exemption, often referred to as the “permanent exemption,” to lower their tax liability. The lifetime exemption amount was set at $5 million by the American Taxpayer…

Wooden cubes spelling T A X placed on stacks of paper files, representing the concept of the Annual Gift Tax Exemption and tax planning.

Annual Gift Tax Exemption

Gift Tax Exemption While the lifetime exemption considers the total amount of all gifts made throughout your lifetime or at the time of your death, another beneficial tax avoidance option may be used yearly and is available to you at all times. Because of the yearly gift tax exemption, each taxpayer can provide taxable gifts…

An estate planning attorney discussing life insurance as an estate planning tool.

Life Insurance As Estate Planning Tool?

What Function Does Life Insurance Play In Estate Planning? There are several ways to use life insurance in estate planning, but one common application is to give loved ones extra financial help. Life insurance products can assist in providing your family members with instant funds that can be used to replace lost income, pay for…

Holding Hands in Decision: Navigating Power of Attorney and Selecting Your Trusted Representative

Power of Attorney

Selecting the Right Representative: A Guide to Power of Attorney and Choosing Your Agents You might want to appoint a member of your family to represent you. Numerous people use the names of their partners or one or more children. When appointing more than one person to serve as an agent concurrently, remember that not…

An attorney signing a legal document as part of the estate planning process.

What exactly is meant by Estate Planning?

What Is Estate Planning? The estate planning process involves seeking the advice of professional advisors who are knowledgeable about your objectives and concerns, your assets, the ownership structure of those assets, and the composition of your family. It may require the assistance of several specialists, such as your lawyer, accountant, financial planner, advisor for life…