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Selling Appreciated Assets During Lifetime vs. Transferring at Death

For many individuals and families in Southern California, significant wealth is held in highly appreciated assets—real estate, brokerage accounts, concentrated stock positions, and closely held...

Should I Put My Child on Title to My Bank Accounts?

If your goal is to make banking easier for your child (help with bills) or avoid probate when you pass away, adding your child to your bank account can sound like a simple fix. In California,...

Key Documents Making Up a Comprehensive Estate Plan

When many people hear "estate planning," they think primarily of a Last Will and Testament. While a Will is a foundational piece of legal history, in 2025, a comprehensive estate plan in California...

Key Estate Planning Terms

A plain‑English glossary of common estate planning terms for California familiesEstate planning has its own vocabulary. This glossary defines key California terms you will encounter in your...

What to Do When a Loved One Passes Away

Losing a loved one is one of life's most difficult experiences. During this time of grief, you may feel overwhelmed by the practical matters that need attention. Please know that it's often best to...

Why Good Legal Advice Saves Money

Many people hesitate to call a lawyer because they think it will be expensive. But in estate and trust matters, the real expense often comes from not getting advice when it’s needed. Small mistakes...

The Benefits of Utilizing Professional Fiduciaries

When planning your estate, one of the most critical decisions you’ll make is selecting the right fiduciary—someone legally designated to manage your assets and act in your best interest. While...

Estate Planning After the OBBBA Legislation

The recent passage of the OBBBA Legislation in July introduced significant changes affecting estate planning, trust administration, and probate. While these adjustments may have caused uncertainty...

The Importance of Having a Senior ID

The Importance of Having a Senior IDWhen California seniors sign estate planning instruments—trusts, durable powers of attorney, advance health care directives, grant deeds, and similar documents—a...

Benefits of Hiring a CPA to Assist with Trust Administration

Administering a trust is a significant responsibility that comes with a multitude of tax and legal obligations. For those tasked with this responsibility, ensuring accuracy and compliance with all...

The Pitfalls of Transfer-On-Death Deeds

California’s revocable Transfer‑On‑Death deed (RTODD) was designed as a quick, low‑cost way to pass a home outside probate, but its simplicity hides a long list of traps: it only works for certain...

Understanding the Differences: AHCD, DNR, POLST & HIPAA Authorization

When planning your estate, it’s crucial to think beyond asset distribution. Your health care wishes are equally important, especially if you become unable to speak for yourself. In California, many...

What is the Difference Between a Revocable and an Irrevocable Trust?

Introduction to TrustsTrusts are powerful estate planning tools designed to help individuals manage their assets during their lifetime and beyond. In California, creating a trust can simplify the...

Why Timely Trust and Estate Administration Matters

Losing a loved one is an emotionally taxing experience, often accompanied by the daunting responsibility of managing their trust or estate. While grief and familial obligations understandably take...

Home Insurance, Wildfires, and Earthquakes

The recent devastation caused by the Palisades, Eaton, and other wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties has left many homeowners grappling with the aftermath of destruction and the realities...

Investing in the Future: Estate Planning with 529 Plans and Annual Gifting

Planning for the future involves more than just saving money—it's about making strategic decisions that benefit both you and your loved ones. One powerful way to do this is by combining 529 college...

The Hidden Consequences of Do-It-Yourself Estate Planning

In today's digital age, do-it-yourself (DIY) solutions are just a click away for almost any task, from home improvements to financial planning. The allure of saving time and money makes DIY estate...

Demystifying Trust Administration: What Is Its Purpose?

When a loved one passes away, leaving behind a trust, you may hear the term "trust administration" being used. But what exactly does this mean, and why is it so important? Let's demystify trust...

California Trust Law Update: Notice Requirements for Incapacitated Settlors

Changes to California Probate Code §15800 have introduced important new requirements for trustees when a settlor becomes incapacitated. As your trusted estate planning advisors, we want to ensure...

Estate Planning After Divorce: Essential Considerations for California Residents

Divorce significantly impacts your life, including your estate plan. For California residents, updating your estate plan post-divorce is crucial to protect your assets and provide for your loved...

The Cost of Failing to Fund Your Trust

Creating a revocable living trust is a smart move in estate planning, designed to bypass probate and ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes. However, many people overlook a...

Protecting Your Beneficiaries from Their Poor Decision Making

When planning your estate, it's essential to consider how to protect your beneficiaries from their potentially poor financial decisions. Pederson Law Offices offers various strategies to ensure...

Can I Disinherit My Estranged Child?

Navigating the complexities of estate planning can be challenging, especially when it involves making difficult decisions such as disinheriting an estranged child or other heirs. At Pederson Law...

Should I put my child on title to my house?

Adding a child to the title of your house is generally not a recommended alternative to comprehensive estate planning. At Pederson Law Offices, our goal is to empower our clients with comprehensive...

Does your Revocable Living Trust address your current life circumstances?

Are you one of millions who setup your revocable living trust years ago and thought you were done? No question that a Revocable Living Trust (RLT) is a great, relatively...

Is life insurance really tax free?

Life Insurance can be a wonderful estate planning tool when properly utilized. Not only does it provide income replacement in case of premature death, but it also provides liquidity in estates that...

Timeshare Trusts

Do you own timeshare interests? If so, the following are a number of questions you may want to consider regarding your estate planning: How do you plan on distributing...

Your Options for Real Estate Title-Holding

If you are a Thousand Oaks homeowner, then chances are that you have a title for your property. There are a variety of different ways to hold a real estate title, and all of them have implications...

The Beneficiary's Role in an Estate Plan

The term "beneficiary" comes up frequently during the process of estate planning because the efforts of estate planning are focused on transferring the decedent's assets to the beneficiary. A...

Online Estate Plans May Result in Unnecessary Litigation or Probate

When you develop your estate plan, you are deciding the best way to keep your memory alive and pass on your legacy to loved ones. When your property and assets are valued and considered with the...

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