by John Martin | Jan 22, 2016 | Estate Planning for Families
Effective January 1, 2016, California AB 139 creates the new Revocable Transfer on Death Deeds (RTODDs). This pilot program, effective until January 1, 2021, gives individuals the power to automatically transfer property on death to a named beneficiary with a simple...
by John Martin | Aug 5, 2014 | Estate Planning for Families, Trusts
We are pleased to announce that as of August 1, 2014, the California Board of Legal Specialization has certified John C. Martin, Esq. as a legal specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, & Probate Law. This title is held by less than half of one percent (.5%) of...
by John C. Martin | Feb 21, 2014 | Estate Plan Maintenance, Estate Planning for Families, Tax Planning
Many retirees today worry about having enough money for their retirement. Of special concern is if there will be enough money to provide for the surviving spouse. This is called “shortfall risk,” and it is a valid concern. People are living longer and health care...
by John C. Martin | Feb 14, 2014 | Estate Plan Maintenance, Estate Planning for Families, Tax Planning
Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and over 50% of the Fortune 400’s The Richest People in America list have decided to give away their wealth for charitable pursuits. Of course, not many of us have that kind of money or are inclined to give away all we own. However, giving to...
by John C. Martin | Feb 11, 2014 | Estate Plan Maintenance, Estate Planning for Families
So far in this series on wasting money, we have looked at how people may overpay for housing, interest, transportation, food, clothing and entertainment. In this last part, we will look at a few more areas in which we may pay more than necessary—taxes, insurance, not...
by John C. Martin | Feb 7, 2014 | Estate Planning for Families
In Part One of this series on wasting money, we looked at housing, interest and transportation—areas in which you or your loved ones may be wasting larger amounts of money. In Part Two, we will look at how money can be wasted in everyday areas of life—specifically...