Could your personal affairs use a little spring cleaning? Spring is a great time to review and update your estate plan so you ensure yourself, your family, and your assets are taken care of. Other than Springtime, here are the other times in life when it is critical that you call us to review your [...]
Legalities to Consider When Starting a Home Based Business
Posted by: on May 18, 2013 Leave a Comment
According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), nearly 80 percent of small businesses in the United States are one-person operations, and many of those are home based businesses. Here are some legal tips for ensuring you and your business are protected if you operate a home based business: Choose the best business structure. How you [...]
6 Situations When a Trust is Better Than Just a Will – California Estate Planning
Posted by: on May 8, 2013 Leave a Comment
A will is one of the most basic California estate planning documents, and everyone should have one to make sure there is no question about what would happen to your assets if something happens to you. But there are situations when having a revocable trust in addition to a will is imperative; here are six [...]
Excellent Mother’s Day Gift – Our Kids Protection Planning Kit
Posted by: on May 3, 2013 Leave a Comment
By now, the flood of floral commercials has already reminded us that Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12. But before you plunk down a good chunk of change on something that will wilt and die in a week or so, consider a gift that is truly priceless: a plan for your kids (or grandkids) that [...]
Advance Health Care Directive – A Must-Have for Everyone
Posted by: on April 14, 2013 Leave a Comment
Every single adult needs to have an advance health care directive written, signed, and in place. This includes you, your parents, and your children as soon as they turn 18. After turning 18, your children are adults and you would not be able to access their medical records if they are unable to communicate permission [...]
Is Your Independent Contractor a Real Employee or Common-Law Employee?
Posted by: on April 14, 2013 Leave a Comment
Is the person you classified as an independent contractor really an employee (or “common-law employees as the IRS calls them) instead? The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Labor are cracking down on businesses that misclassify workers. Before you misclassify a worker as an independent contractor, ask yourself these 5 questions: 1. Do [...]
Parents With Early Alzheimer’s – Don’t Wait To Help With Money Matters
Posted by: on April 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
People in their 50s and early 60s may notice their elderly parents having trouble with memory loss and handling finances. One in eight Americans 65 and over and 43 percent of individuals 85 and over have Alzheimer’s disease. But financial advisors and accountants say elderly parents and adult children alike are too slow to seek [...]
How to Talk to Your Children About an Inheritance
Posted by: on April 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
Warren Buffett has famously said that you should “leave your children enough to do anything, but not enough to do nothing.” A recent Accenture study showed that the children of baby boomers will inherit almost $30 trillion over the next three decades, leaving more parents (and grandparents) concerned about how a sudden windfall will affect [...]
Working With Your Spouse or Partner? Here’s Some Advice
Posted by: on April 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
About a third of all family businesses are run by husband-and-wife teams. Sometimes these entrepreneurial teams have a great relationship and their business thrives. Other times, working with your spouse or partner can lead to the end of the relationship. Here are some things to consider if you are or plan to be in this [...]
Hiring Independent Contractors – Stay On the Right Side of the Law
Posted by: on April 7, 2013 Leave a Comment
As businesses in America have increasingly hired independent contractors as a way to manage or cut costs, the IRS has ramped up its crackdown on employee classification violations. And we’ve heard many States are cracking down as well. In California, for example, employers are at risk of being charged with Worker’s Compensation Fraud for misclassifying [...]