Technology has certainly shifted our society over the last 15 to 20 years -- you can see it right here in the Southern California area.So much so, that it's time we discuss estate planning with a technological twist.Before we get there though, may I offer you this...

Is there such a thing any more as "conventional wisdom"?It's a fair question to consider as we retreat further and further into our ideological silos as a society -- only reading "news" from the slant that makes us feel smartest ("See, if [smart person I read] says...

I normally don't send these special bulletins, but I wanted to get this to Southern California parents ASAP.You probably heard on the news that the IRS is sending out "advance payments" of $250 - $300 per month for children.The first advance child tax credit payments...

Summer is flying by. Do you feel that way?It's an exciting season with cookouts, vacations and extracurricular activities (my thoughts and sympathies for Southern California parents with multiple kids playing multiple sports among 100 other things). Before you know it...

According to IRS calculations, the 2021 allowable living expenses for a typical family of four didn’t change a single dime from 2020 .It went from $1,740 per month to… $1,740 per month.The IRS clearly missed the memo regarding pandemic inflation from their colleagues...

This will be a different kind of note today than I normally post.Because the first thing to note is that a bona fide holiday miracle seems to have occurred: Congress agreed on another relief bill.Given this cultural climate, this might rank up there with the...

Summer is nearing an end, but this has been no ordinary summer.Everywhere, parents are scrambling in the most unusual "back to school" season in memory. Fall sports are in limbo, and others (MLB, NHL, NBA) are operating in a weird Twilight Zone mode. Urban centers are...

As the old joke goes, the only two guarantees in life are death and taxes.In these updates, I obviously spend a lot of time talking about taxes.And these past 12 months, no matter how things have landed for those of you in or near Southern California ... the other...

How we are raised around financial matters can impact us for a lifetime.When a close friend or family member loses their home, or their job (or both), it can be frightening on several levels. You begin to wonder if the same could happen to you. And, as you're probably...

I mentioned last week the key provisions of the "American Rescue Plan," while it was just proposed legislation.Now that the House has passed it, there is more meat on those bones. I'll run it all down for you once it's been signed by the President, but the key...