Our library articles contain vital information on living trusts, asset protection, incapacity planning, and probate requirements for California residents. Learn about what you must do, documents you will need, and deadlines you must meet in our online library.
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Understanding Ambiguous Wills in California Probate An ambiguous will is one that is not clearly defined or explained and may cause complications in California probate. Learn more here. -
Father Becomes Grandfather by Attorney, Phil Kavesh As we prepare to celebrate Father's Day later this month, I spent some time thinking about all the father's in my life. -
Why You Need to Update Your Estate Plan After Moving to California While many legal documents may still be valid after a move, you need to understand estate planning laws in the state where you choose to live. Learn more here. -
Mother's Day Reflections by Arlyn Villanueva, Director of Operations & Estate Planning Paralegal We just wanted to take the time to wish all of the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, stepmoms, and mother figures a very Happy Mother's Day! -
Business Succession and Estate Planning Only 10% of all family-owned businesses last beyond two generations, which is why it is important to have a business succession plan in place. Learn more here. -
Estate Planning for Your Pet CA is one of several states which lets residents name guardians or create trusts to ensure a pet is well cared for after their owners die. Learn more here. -
Community Property in California California is one of nine states with community property laws. These laws can have a significant impact on the estate plans of married couples. Learn more here. -
"It's Time For..." Peter's Annual MLB Spring Training Trip Attorney Peter Keon discusses yet another trip to watch MLB Spring Training. -
Settling Debt on a California Estate Whenever someone dies and leaves behind an estate in California, there’s the possibility creditors could make claims on the inheritance. -
An Overview of California’s Probate Process If you’ve been made a custodian of a will or representative of an estate, you need to know California’s deadlines and expectations for probate. Learn more here. -
March 2021 Newsletter - Preparing for the Unexpected Read about how our attorney, Peter Keon is "Preparing for the Unexpected" in our March Newsletter -
Estate Planning for People Who Are Single Estate planning is not just for married couples. Single people need to plan for their future, as well. Learn why you need to create a plan if you’re not married -
Marshalling and Managing Estate Assets When you’ve been entrusted to manage an estate, you must gather all the deceased’s properties and create an inventory and appraise their value. -
An Intestate Will Leaves Your Assets and Loved Ones in the Court’s Hands Sorting out an estate without a will can cause unexpected problems in California probate court. Learn more here. -
My Valentine's Day Trauma A sweet personal story by our principal attorney, Philip Kavesh, about growing up in a small town. -
Being a Guardian Is a Big Job With Big Obligations Choosing a guardian is one of the most important and difficult aspects of estate planning. Here, learn more about the responsibilities of a guardian. -
The Importance of Having a Will and a Living Trust Wills and living trusts may seem like similar documents, but each has different functions. Learn more about both documents as part of a well-planned estate. -
Protecting Your Estate When You’re Getting a Divorce Divorce changes a lot in your life, and you need to reconsider your will, estate, and assets. Here, learn more about protecting yourself after a divorce. -
Planning Your Estate When You Have Children New parents who want to prepare for the future need to choose a guardian for their children, write a will, and establish a living trust. -
January 2021 Newsletter - You May Need to Act NOW To Preserve Your Home’s Low Property Taxes for Your Children In November, California voters approved Proposition 19. This may dramatically reduce your children’s ability to retain your below market property assessment -
December 2020 Newsletter | Safe Holiday Tips, Scams to Watch Out For and More! Phil Kavesh gives you tips on how to safely celebrate the holidays with your family during a pandemic. -
October 2020 Newsletter | Remembering Roger Phil Kavesh reminiscences on his time with Rodger Minor and the impact he's had on his life. -
How to Make Modifications to a Living Trust-Based Estate Plan Whenever there is a significant change in your life, you should review your estate plan to determine if you need to modify your living trust. -
Setting Up a Living Trust-Centered Estate Plan A California living trust offers many benefits over a will-based estate plan, including the ability to control and gift assets during your lifetime. -
Let Our Legal Team Help Modify or Reform Your Living Trust The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., can help you modify or reform a trust. Let us ensure your trust is effective and in line with your wishes. -
The Questions You Should Ask When Choosing Your Estate Planner Use this list of questions to help you find a suitable estate planner to protect your assets and provide for your family after you are gone. -
Estate Planning Resources for Professional Advisors Our estate planning firm works closely with financial advisors and professionals to bring you the most comprehensive estate plan possible. -
A Look Back at Our Company History on Our 30th Anniversary Phil Kavesh, the founder of The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, looks at how far we've come in honor of our 30th anniversary. -
The Most Complete Living Trust Package The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., can help you establish or modify a living trust. Sign up for a seminar: 866-402-1805. -
Fending Off False Claims Against an Estate: Inheritance Disputes From Beyond the Grave Someone may not be related to the deceased. However, that doesn't always stop an expense to the estate. Learn how an attorney can help protect your interests. -
Understanding Why Estate Planning Is So Important The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., will educate you on the basics of estate planning. Learn why everyone, regardless of income or assets, needs a plan. -
Let Our Team Help You Protect Your Retirement and Limit Your Tax Burden Our legal team can help you craft a financial plan to ensure that you are maximizing your assets during your lifetime while reaching your estate planning goals. -
Living Trust Services for Trustees and Beneficiaries The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., of Southern California offers a full range of services for trustees and beneficiaries upon your death or incapacity. -
Post-Death Administration Services The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., can help you navigate probate law after a death. Sign up for a seminar: 866-402-1805. -
Advanced Level Planning Options for Larger or More Complex Estates The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., works with complicated and high-asset estates. We offer a variety of options to meet your unique needs. -
Preparing for Elder Care Expenses: How Tax Breaks Can Help Family Caregivers As life expectancy grows, so does the expense for elders. Tax breaks can help, but planning ahead is essential. -
Blended Family? We Can Help You Protect Your Assets for the Right People When you've remarried or your spouse has children from a previous marriage, estate planning needs to be done carefully to leave assets to the correct people. -
Our Team Helps Seniors With Medi-Cal Crisis and Long-Term Care Planning The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., can help you understand how to use Medicaid and Medi-Cal benefits to pay for long-term care. -
We Can Assist With Disability and Pre-Death Planning Needs So You Have Your Affairs in Order The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., helps our clients plan for disability needs and pre-death planning in the event of a terminal illness. -
Let Us Help You Protect Your Assets From Lawsuits, Creditors, and Divorce The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., can help you protect your assets from creditors, lawsuits, and divorce. -
Estate Planning To Protect Your Minor Children The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., will help you make a plan for your children in case of the loss of their parents. Call: 866-402-1805. -
Tax Planning The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., will help you navigate tax law when planning for your estate. Sign up for a seminar: 866-402-1805. -
Estate Planning, Trust Administration, and Probate Resources Here, we share additional resources from The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc. Learn about estate planning, trust administration, and probate. -
Our Estate Tax Planning Services Benefit You and Your Heirs Our California estate planning law firm can help maximize your federal estate tax exemptions and pass the majority of your assets to your heirs. -
Income Tax Planning Is a Key Part of Protecting Your Family’s Future Our Southern California estate planning law firm can find the right techniques to reduce taxable income for individuals, families, and businesses. -
September 2020 Newsletter - The (Best) Toughest Decision I Ever Had to Make At the time that my Dad passed away suddenly from a heart attack, about eleven years ago, my parents had already moved their long-time residency from South Jersey to South Florida. They enjoyed a small condo near Miami Beach that overlooked a river with boats passing by their balcony all day long, which was within walking distance to stores and a beautiful beach. A wonderful, well-deserved retirement place. My Mom was 85 years old when my Dad passed away and was in perfectly good health. She didn’t take any medications and was physically active, doing all of the cooking, shopping, and cleaning pretty much on her own, as she had always done. She still drove her car, paid all of the household bills, and kept her checkbook meticulously balanced to the penny! But Something Seemed to Be Wrong... (Continue Reading) -
August 2020 Newsletter - IRA Owner Beware: Important Deadline Coming August 31st If you (or your parents) have an IRA, read on.Planning Opportunity #1:If You Already Took Some Required Minimum Distributions in 2020,You Can Avoid Income Taxes By Acting Right Away If you reached age 70 ½ in2019 or earlier, the rule has been you must withdraw from your IRA the Required Minimum Distributions (“RMDs”) in 2020. These withdrawals are typically taxable at your highest bracket rate... -
July 2020 Newsletter - Guess What May Be Coming Back! The government may be trying to get their hands into your and your loved ones’ pockets again - - and in a VERY BIG way! I’m not going to predict which political party will win the November election and control the Presidency, Senate, and House. But I do need to let you know what may happen if Democrats wind up winning all three, which appears more and more likely according to the polls. (I’m not taking a political stand here, just stating facts, so please don’t shoot the messenger!) -
June 2020 Newsletter - Our Fondest Memories of Dad! As we approach the celebration of Father’s Day, our firm’s members each take a moment to reflect upon our fondest memories of Dad. -
May 2020 Newsletter - Kids Aged 18 to 26 Are Such a Problem! (Just not in the way you may think) Once a child (or grandchild) reaches age 18, in California and many other states he or she is considered an “adult” (at least for legal purposes). However, that young adult may still depend on his or her parents for financial support or for help in making important financial and health care decisions. Unfortunately, if a Young Adult Suffers a Major Accident or Becomes Seriously Ill, What Happens Then? -
April 2020 Newsletter - Answers To The Common Questions We're Now Getting From Clients We recently sent you an e-mail regarding the current status of our office and our services. However, we still received a lot of follow-up questions. We figured that it might be helpful for us to answer them for everyone else who might have had the same question, but perhaps didn't raise their hand. If you have any other questions that we may not have answered here, we want you to know that we are happy to hear from you. -
March 2020 Newsletter - What's Really "Fair"? When It Comes To Dividing Your Estate Between Your Children (or Other Beneficiaries), What's Really "Fair"? -
February 2020 Newsletter - New "SECURE" Act Makes Your IRAs Less Secure! *IRA OWNERS BEWARE* New "SECURE" Act Makes Your IRAs Less Secure! If you have IRAs that in total (including your spouses') exceed $200,000, you must read on. -
January 2020 Newsletter - It's Time for a New Year's Resolution That You'll Actually Keep! It's Time for a New Year's Resolution That You'll Actually Keep! -
February 2016 Estate Planning Newsletter: My Valentine's Day Trauma In our February 2016 newsletter, Philip Kavesh shares his Valentine's Day memories and provides estate planning tips for women. -
January 2016 Estate Planning Newsletter: Head Off Squabbles Among Your Heirs In our January 2016 newsletter, we discuss how to head off squabbles among heirs with a properly prepared estate plan. -
December 2015 Estate Planning Newsletter: “I Enjoyed Everyone Else’s Christmas” In our December 2015 newsletter, attorney Philip Kavesh shares his holiday memories and explains why estate planning is necessary regardless of your income. -
November 2015 Estate Planning Newsletter: A Truly American Thanksgiving Feast! In our November 2015 newsletter, we share Thanksgiving reflections and explain what you need to know about living trusts for your estate plan. -
October 2015 Estate Planning Newsletter: New Scam Alert! In our October 2015 newsletter, we discuss how to protect yourself from financial scams and what you can do to prepare for aging in place. -
August 2015 Estate Planning Newsletter: Medicare, Medicaid and More In our August 2015 estate planning newsletter, we discuss what seniors should know about the difference between Medicare and Medicaid. -
May 2015 Estate Planning Newsletter: Family Connections In Unexpected Places In our May 2015 newsletter, we discuss how long-term care expenses should factor into your retirement and estate planning. -
January 2015 Estate Planning Newsletter: “Thank You, January!” In our January 2015 newsletter, Philip Kavesh shares winter childhood memories and we explain why getting your estate plan in order is a good resolution. -
October 2014 Estate Planning Newsletter: A Few Thanksgiving Thoughts In our October 2014 newsletter, we share our favorite Thanksgiving memories and offer advice on how you can avoid common estate planning mistakes. -
September 2014 Estate Planning Newsletter: Costly IRA Mistakes You Want to Avoid In our September 2014 newsletter, we discuss preventing costly IRA mistakes, what to do when a loved one passes away, and how estate planning avoids probate. -
August 2014 Estate Planning Newsletter: Let’s Get Cooking! In our August 2014 newsletter, we share estate planning advice as well as cooking tips from one of our attorneys. -
July 2014 Estate Planning Newsletter: Happy Birthday to My Four-Legged Child Attorney Jane Lee shares memories of her pet dog Yoda and offers tips on finding respite care for your aging parents in our July 2014 newsletter. -
July 2014 Estate Planning Newsletter: Cruising Along – at a Discount! In our June 2014 newsletter, we share tips for going on an affordable cruise, buying a vacation home, and creating a legacy letter. -
April 2014 Newsletter: What’s in Your Nirvana? In our April 2014 newsletter, we discuss long-term care planning and the signs of elder abuse. Philip Kavesh also shares highlights from a recent vacation. -
March 2014 Estate Planning Newsletter: Reflections on a Visit to Mom In our March 2014 newsletter, we discuss investment markets, business succession plans, and the value of spending time with your family. -
February 2014 Estate Planning Newsletter: (Cautionary) Tales of The Rich and Famous In our February 2014 newsletter, we discuss what you can learn from the estate planning mistakes of the rich and famous. -
November 2013 Estate Planning Newsletter: My Eye-Opening Experience (Quite Literally!) In our November 2013 newsletter, we discuss business survival threats and buy-sell funding as well as a message from one of our attorneys. -
October 2013 Estate Planning Newsletter: Congratulations, KMO! Our October 2013 newsletter celebrates our firm's 32nd birthday while discussing family limited partnerships and asset protection strategies. -
September 2013 Newsletter: Watch Out for Suspicious Phone Calls Not From Our Office In our September 2013 newsletter, we discuss what you should do if you get a suspicious phone call seeking information about your estate plan. -
August 2013 Estate Planning Newsletter: Who’s That Little Ole Wine Maker? Me! Attorney Michael Patinelli discusses his wine making hobby in our August 2013 newsletter, then offers tips on estate planning for couples. -
June 2013 Estate Planning Newsletter: My Capitals Tour In our July 2013 newsletter, we share some fun facts about our nation's history and provide estate planning advice for married couples. -
June 2013 Estate Planning Newsletter: A Good Old Fashioned Family Meal Get estate planning tips and learn about the team at The Law Firm of Kavesh, Minor & Otis, Inc., in our June 2013 newsletter.
