by Daniel Scott, Forbes July 26, 2018 Link to Original Article Estate planning is dead. Gone are the days of creating legal structures to hold your assets, pass your fortune on to the next generation and, of course, avoid paying estate taxes. Gone are the days of planning for your death. It’s time to plan for…
Continue reading…Category: Small Business
What Is Probate?
At Phillips Ballenger, we believe that proper estate planning is essential in avoiding probate. Probate, a process regulated by statutory guidelines and applied through the courts, is triggered when an individual dies without a trust. This process, like other forms of litigation, can be long, arduous, and sadly, adversarial. This week, we give you an introduction…
Continue reading…Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes – UPDATE: Aretha Franklin Did Not Have a Will!
Large and complex estates are not always adequately planned for. The most recent example of this is the unfortunate passing of famous vocalist, Aretha Franklin. At 76, the singer’s illustrious career is left, vulnerable to the effects of probate, because no will or trust document was left to allocate her assets (link). Unfortunately, her heirs…
Continue reading…Small real estate investors might miss out on new federal tax deduction
by Kathleen Pender, San Francisco Chronicle August 25, 2018 Link to Original Article People who own just one or two rental properties might not qualify for the new 20 percent federal deduction that big-time real estate investors and other pass-through entities will get starting this year. The federal tax law passed in December lets many…
Continue reading…CA Property Tax Breaks: Parent-to-Child Exclusion
PLEASE NOTE- THIS INFORMATION IS AGED- PLEASE REFERENCE UPDATES TO THE LAW NECESSITATED BY CA PROP 19, WHICH BECAME EFFECTIVE ON FEBRUARY 16, 2021, AND SEVERELY LIMITS THE PARENT / CHILD EXCLUSION. California property owners: your wish to transfer your real property interests to a loved one may be eligible for an exclusion! California real property,…
Continue reading…Think your company qualifies for a small business tax break? It’s complicated…
by Marcy Gordon, Associated Press August 10, 2018, USA Today WASHINGTON — Architects and engineers are still in. Accountants, doctors and lawyers remain out — mostly. New rules floated by the Trump administration lay out what kinds of businesses can take a 20 percent deduction against income taxes under the new tax law. With the proposed…
Continue reading…I Do…But First Sign Here: Prenuptial Agreements, Postnuptial Agreements, Cohabitation agreements
Deciding whether to sign an agreement as it pertains to your relationship can be difficult. Generally, this is not a one-size fits all type of decision, and the necessity is different for every couple. Pre, Post and Cohabitation agreements are very useful for business owners, blended families, individuals with complex financial arrangements, etc. Regardless of…
Continue reading…5 Simple Steps to Start a Business… Creating a Business Plan
Have you ever considered or are you considering starting your own business? The process can be daunting, tumultuous and confusing… However, if done right, starting your own business can be simple, efficient, exciting- as well as lucrative & fulfilling! Tiffany Ballenger Floyd, a Nevada attorney who works with new & experienced business owners offers this…
Continue reading…