Sonoma, CA, Mother May Seek Additional Childcare Support to Complete Professional Training

A key goal of child support is to ensure children–and parents–can sustain themselves without the need for public assistance. California law therefore directs judges to award additional child support to enable parents to obtain professional training. This additional support helps the parent who needs training pay for childcare. In a landmark decision, a California appeals […]

Appeals Court Returns Santa Monica Building to Rent Control

Rent control remains a hotly contested issue throughout California. The California legislature is currently considering a new statewide rent control policy. Meanwhile, individual cities and counties continue to struggle with their own rent control inventories. On July 30, a California appeals court sided with Santa Monica in its long-running effort to bring a single building […]

Fergie Files for Divorce from Josh Duhamel

Almost two full years after the couple separated, the “Big Girls Don’t Cry” singer filed for divorce from the Transformers actor. In September 2017, the couple announced they were ending their eight-year marriage. During these last two years, the couple has repeatedly stated that they get along well. Both Josh and Fergie have said that […]

California Senate Considers Reviving Estate Tax

In 2001, the California legislature decided to phase out the state’s estate tax over a four-year period. This means that for California residents who died on or after January 1, 2005, there is no state estate tax. But the California Senate is now reconsidering this position in light of recent changes to the federal estate […]

Bezos Divorce Finalized After 90 Days

Though the January 2019 news of Amazon’s Jeff Bezos divorce from wife MacKenzie may not have come as a surprise, many are shocked that the entire process was finalized within 90 days. Both ex-spouses revealed in separate Tweets on April 4, 2019 that they had reached an agreement on all matters related to property division, […]

Court Upholds Traditional Japanese Adoption Laws in Estates of Sisters

Northern California is home to thousands of Japanese-Americans, many of whom retain strong familial ties to Japan. This can pose some unique challenges when it comes to family law. As Japanese legal and cultural traditions often diverge significantly from American and western practices. Indeed, a recent decision by a California appeals court highlights the potential […]

California’s Proposed Tax Changes Could Effect Real Estate

In November, California voters are set to cast a deciding vote on the Property Tax Fairness Initiative. This real estate proposal would modify California’s property tax laws. This coming November, voters all around California will weigh in on a number of important issues. One of the most notable ballot initiatives centers around property taxes. According […]

Leaving Your Loved Ones With Stories, Values, and Life Lessons

Financial Planning is Only Part of an Estate Plan. Leave Behind Something More Meaningful for Your Loved Ones A palliative nurse interviewed her patients about their regrets and found that the top regrets of the dying were wishing that “I had not worked so hard,” wishing that “I had the courage to live a life […]

Considerations for Owners of Tiny Homes

Real estate is extremely expensive in the Bay Area. In fact, according to Business Insider, San Francisco was the most expensive city to rent a one-bedroom apartment–a problem that tiny home proponents believe they have a solution for. Unfortunately, while simple living, and less expensive living, with a tiny home may sound appealing, the zoning […]

Separating Assets When You Are Not Married

How Do Non-Married Couples Separate Their Assets? The concept of marriage is not as popular as it once was. Marriage has been on the decline over the last quarter century, while cohabitation of unmarried couples is on a rapid rise, even in the last few years. According to the Pew Research Center, 18 million Americans […]