What is an Appraisal?
Washington state recently enacted some changes that may impact married couples and registered domestic partners. Under the new Spousal Personal Residence Exclusion, when a spouse/partner passes away on or after January 1,...more
Before shifting my practice from estate planning to estate litigation, I witnessed up close the challenges and frustrations associated with the California probate process. That has changed for many Californians. Assembly Bill...more
California’s Assembly Bill 2016 – which goes into effect April 1 – introduces significant positive changes to the probate process, particularly for primary residences. The law raises the value threshold for primary residences...more
Many of us would like our children to inherit our home once we are gone. More than a few of us think it makes sense to give our home to our children while we are still living. That is not a good idea! Here’s why. Loss of...more
During COVID, many of us are balancing working remotely while caring for our children. This autumn, most of our children are returning to part-time or all remote school. We are using our residences as a home, office, and...more
Your home is a unique asset – the center of your family life and an important financial asset. When you bought your home, you may remember signing a deed, but do you remember what it says? Often, due to the excitement and...more
After a Medicaid recipient dies, the state must attempt to recoup from his or her estate whatever benefits it paid for the recipient's care. This is called "estate recovery." For most Medicaid recipients, their house is the...more
Mortgagees of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (“HECMs,” more commonly known as reverse mortgages) obtained a significant victory in an important federal appellate court, which ruled last month that non-borrowing spouses are...more