SECURE Act 2.0 and Inherited IRAs: What California Beneficiaries Need to Know
If you recently inherited a parent’s or a spouse’s retirement account, you are probably worried you already did something wrong. Take a breath. The rules changed twice in three years. Almost nobody understands them on first contact. What you owe, and when, comes down to two questions rather than one. This article explains what the […]
OBBBA Estate Tax Changes: What California Families Need to Know in 2026
For years, the headlines told a frightening story. The federal estate tax exemption would be cut in half at the end of 2025. Many California families built that fear into their plans and rushed to beat the deadline. Recent OBBBA estate tax changes are now in effect. On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful […]
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 […]
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.
California Revocable Living Trust Tax Guide: 6 ways to Simplify
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
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): 5 Costly Estate Planning Mistakes
Naming your revocable trust as IRA beneficiary could trigger costly Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) problems. Learn the 5 most common mistakes California families make and how to coordinate your retirement accounts with your estate plan to protect your heirs.
Federal Estate Tax Exemption 2026: Current Amount & Rules
Big changes are here for estate planning in 2026. The federal estate tax exemption has increased to $15,000,000 for an individual and $30,000,000 for a married couple, a significant jump from the 2025 exemption of $13.99 million.
So how does this affect you? Put simply, you will only owe federal estate tax if the total value of your estate exceeds these thresholds