Silicon Valley Estate Planning Journal
News and Articles from the Law Offices of John C. Martin
Naming a Guardian for Your Minor Child(ren)
Naming a Guardian for Your Minor Child(ren) Parents with minor children need to name someone to raise them (a guardian) in the event both parents should die before the child becomes an adult. While the likelihood of that actually happening is slim, the consequences of...
Life Insurance: How Much and What Kind?
Life Insurance: How Much and What Kind? Life insurance can be an affordable way to provide for our children, spouse, a sibling, aging parents and others if we should die while they are depending on us. Life insurance proceeds can provide extra income to help pay...
Estate Planning for Women
Estate Planning for Women While estate planning is important for everyone, women especially need to understand estate planning and have a plan of their own in place. Here are some issues that are of particular interest to women and their estate planning....
Using an Advisory Team
The Advisory Team Approach to Estate Planning Estate planning is not simply the documents prepared by an attorney, nor is it the insurance and financial plan recommended by a financial advisor. Properly done, estate planning encompasses at least the legal and...
Take Advantage of the Gift Tax Exemption
Take Advantage of the $5.12 Million Dollar Gift Tax Exemption . . . Before it’s too late. There has been a lot of media coverage about the Bush tax cuts that are set to expire on December 31, 2012 and whether they will be extended for all taxpayers or if they...
Four More Common Estate Planning Mistakes
Here are four more common mistakes in estate planning. If your plan is in place and current, this will serve as more validation that you are on the right track. Feel free to share this information with friends and family members, especially those who may not have a...
Treating Children Fairly Does Not Necessarily Mean Equally
Most parents want to treat their children fairly in their estate planning, and many assume that means having their children inherit equally. But fair does not necessarily mean equal. There may be special circumstances to consider. For example, parents may want...
Family Values and History Are Still the Best Inheritance
According to a recent study, family values, traditions and history still mean more than money as an inheritance. These results are from the 2012 Allianz Life American Legacies Pulse Study* which surveyed baby boomers (age 47 to 66) and “elders” (age 72 and...
5 Common Estate Planning Mistakes to Avoid
From time to time, it’s good to review why having a complete, up-to-date estate plan is so important. In addition to confirming our own actions, it can provide us with valuable information to pass along to friends and family who, for whatever reasons, have yet to act....
Defensive Estate Planning Series: Other Areas to Consider
Other Areas to Consider There are many other changing circumstances that should be anticipated with flexible estate plan design. These include qualifying for California Medi-Cal benefits through authorizing the gifting down of incapacitated individual’s estate;...
John C. Martin
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Recent Posts
- John Martin Speaks on Advanced Estate Planning
- Estate Planning with Real Estate after Proposition 19
- John Martin recently quoted in Charles Wallace’s article on Digital Wills and the importance of managing passwords
- KGO Radio Interview with John Martin
- Through Menlo Park Kiwanis, John Martin Helps Award $50,000 in College Scholarships
- Federal Tax Reform is Coming. Are you Ready?
- California Asset Protection Laws are Changing. Is Your Current Trust Adequate?
- Tune in on 7/19 at 7pm for a Live Radio Discussion on the Prevention of Financial Elder Abuse
- John C. Martin Featured on ABC7 News with Michael Finney
- John Martin Helps Give Away $55,000 in Scholarships to M-A Students through Menlo Park Kiwanis