California Estate Tax Planning: Comprehensive 2026 Guide for High-Net-Worth Families
If you have a meaningful estate, you have probably heard conflicting things about estate tax planning. California has no state estate tax. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed July 4, 2025, set the federal exemption at $15 million per individual. A married couple can have up to a combined $30 million exemption with […]
California Power of Attorney: A Complete Guide to All POA Types in 2026
Most California adults need a power of attorney long before they need a will. At Opelon LLP, our Carlsbad firm has drafted more than 700 California estate plans, and every single one includes a coordinated power of attorney. We have also administered over 250 San Diego County estates. That dual experience tells us one thing […]
Complete Guide to California Wills: All Will Types (2026)
If you are researching California wills before talking to an attorney, you are already ahead of many people. At Opelon LLP in Carlsbad, we have designed more than 700 California estate plans. We have also administered more than 250 San Diego County estates. One pattern keeps showing up. Families often assume that having a will […]
Successor Trustee Duties in California: A Year-1 Checklist
The successor trustee duties California law assigns to you start the moment a parent or spouse dies. You may have just learned you are the named successor trustee on a California revocable living trust. The work ahead is structured and knowable, even if grief is not. Opelon LLP has administered hundreds of California trusts from […]
California Trusts: A Complete Guide to All Trust Types in 2026
If you are researching California trusts before sitting down with an attorney, you are in the right place. Opelon LLP has designed more than 700 California trusts from our Carlsbad office. Our team has also administered more than 250 San Diego County estates. California has no state estate tax. But its statutory probate fees are […]
Finding a specialized Estate Planning Law Firm in San Diego: 2026 Guide
Imagine receiving a letter from the probate court six months after a loved one’s passing, informing you that your family home and savings are tied up in legal proceedings. Instead of mourning in peace, you find yourself drowning in paperwork, facing hefty legal fees, and enduring emotional strain as disputes over every last asset eat […]
How Prop 19 Changed Inheriting Property in California
Prop 19 inherited property rules in California caught thousands of families off guard, turning what used to be a straightforward tax benefit into a potential financial burden. If your parents own a home in San Diego County, the property tax bill your family faces after they pass could be dramatically higher than what they pay today. Here is what changed, what limited exclusions still exist, and what your family can do about it.
Estate Planning for Young Professionals: 6 Steps to Protect Your Future in California
Estate Planning for High-Net-Worth Estates: Protecting Generational Wealth in 2026
Estate planning for high-net-worth estates in California requires more than a revocable living trust. With the federal estate tax exemption set at $15 million per person under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, families above this threshold face a 40% tax rate on every dollar that exceeds the limit.
California Revocable Living Trust Tax Guide: 6 Things to Simplify Your Plan
A California revocable living trust tax return is not required while the grantor is alive, because the IRS treats the trust as invisible for income tax purposes.
This guide covers six essential tax topics for California trust owners, including property tax rules under Proposition 19, the community property stepped-up basis advantage, and the $15 million federal estate tax exemption effective in 2026. Learn what changes after the grantor’s death and how to avoid the most common trust tax mistakes