Be My Valentine… and My Trustee?
Estate planning is about protecting and providing for those you love. The recent Valentine’s Day holiday still has me celebrating the affectionate ways that my clients care for their families. Of course, we also see examples of Cupid’s arrow doing damage: affections misplaced (or misused) or sibling rivalry taken to an extreme. Part of creating […]
Challenging Children
A Discussion About Behavior that Challenges “Well, Laura,” I said, as I glanced down at my notes, “do you want to leave anything to your grandchildren, as you had planned before?” We had just gone over her desired changes to her estate plan. One of the main things she was changing was how much she […]
Estate Planning for the Drunk Uncle
( … with apologies to Lorne Michaels and SNL.) Almost everyone has one. The Drunk Uncle. The cringeworthy relation. The unpredictable-to-the-point-of-irrationality family member. We love – or we try to love – our family; but this person pushes the limits. Since they are a relative, they are an issue in your estate plan. In California, […]
Gains, gains, go away, come again some other day . . .
Putting off paying taxes as long as possible is an American pastime; for some even a passion. The time value of money teaches us that a dollar of tax paid next year is much cheaper than a dollar of tax paid today. In general, taxpayers and their heirs want to put off the ‘recognition of […]
The Giving Season
Christmas is the season of giving, and as Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35). I agree, It IS more blessed to give than to receive for profound reasons. As an estate planning attorney, I regularly deal with the practical implications surrounding giving. As my gift to you, […]
Swimming the Sea of Life
We residents of the Orange Coast have a privilege that I admit I often forget – the privilege of living near the beach. I learned to swim in a pool, and it’s much more comfortable than swimming in the ocean. No waves, no sand between your toes, and you can see to the bottom – […]
Moving and Grooving
“A friend is a person who loans you their truck so you can move. A true friend is a person with a truck who HELPS you move.” Reflecting on my law career, I realize I’ve never held a law job where the first day did not involve moving furniture. Every time, it came as a […]
Let’s Talk About Cars
Anyone who knows me knows I love to talk about cars. I just returned from Scottsdale, Arizona and the 50th anniversary of the great collector’s car auction known as Barrett-Jackson. Our own Huntington Beach celebrates California car culture with the Donut Derelicts on Saturdays at Adams and Magnolia and the monthly Main Street cruise. Love […]
Business Spotlight: Law Offices of Mark E. Lewis & Associates
Law Offices of Mark E. Lewis & Associates: Helping You Plan Ahead By Kelli M. Larson No one wants to think about dying or having to deal with legal issues associated with the loss of a loved one. Fortunately, the Law Offices of Mark E. Lewis & Associates is here to help. With more than […]
Spring into Action
Health care emergencies are almost always unexpected, and they are always very stressful. One of the documents we prepare for our clients is an Advanced Health Care Directive, which is a power of attorney that outlines your wishes and selects who will make decisions when you cannot in an emergency. Careful consideration must go into […]