Category Archives: Inheritance

When Your Parent Plans to Disinherit Your Sibling

disinheritance word or concept represented by wooden letter tiles on a wooden table with glasses and a book

What the Remaining Family Needs to Understand About Disinheritance Learning that a parent intends to disinherit one of their children places everyone involved in a difficult position. While the excluded sibling often bears the most visible emotional weight, the siblings who remain included in the estate plan frequently face their own complex challenges. These challenges […]

Leaving Assets to Minor Children

Proper estate planning ensures that minor children and dependents are cared for according to the individuals wishes, including guardianship and financial provisions for their upbringing and education

In recent posts, we’ve discussed the importance of updating your estate plan as your family grows. One of the most common questions parents ask involves leaving assets to minor children safely. Parents, grandparents, and relatives all want to provide for the next generation. Yet even well-intentioned plans can create confusion, court involvement, and financial risk. […]

Inheriting a Home: The True Cost

House as a gift. House architectural model in a gift box with a bow. Buying a new home, inherit real estate. Mortgage and home loan, moving in new apartment, celebration

In recent posts, we’ve discussed the many ways estate planning affects families. One topic that deserves special attention is inheriting a home. The United States is experiencing the largest transfer of generational wealth in history. Baby boomers are expected to pass down an estimated $84 trillion over the next several decades, with $18–19 trillion tied directly […]

Strengthen Your Estate Plan While Improving Your Golf Game

Golfer hit sweeping driver after hitting golf ball down the fairway with sunrise background.

Golf and estate planning share one important truth: preparation and strategy determine success. While golf requires adjusting to changing conditions on the course, estate planning requires adjusting to life’s changes—marriage, children, retirement, or shifts in financial circumstances. Both benefit from having the right tools, a clear plan, and periodic review. In this post, we discuss […]

Unequal Inheritances

Unequal Inheritance Estates

Does Treating Your Children Fairly Mean Unequal Inheritances? When creating an estate plan, many parents aim to treat their children fairly. But fairness does not always mean equality—especially when each child has different needs, responsibilities, or life circumstances. In some families, the fairest approach may involve unequal inheritances. In this post, we examine the times when […]

Income Tax & Your Estate Plan

US IRS Internal Revenue Service income tax form 1040 with supporting documents. 3x2 aspect ratio

Is an Income Tax Time Bomb Lurking in Your Estate Plan? The federal estate tax exemption has grown significantly—from $5 million in 2011 to nearly $14 million in 2025. As a result, far fewer families face federal estate tax issues today. But there’s another kind of tax concern that’s increasingly relevant: income tax basis planning. If […]

California Inheritance Laws

Desperate woman has only some coins left

Disinheriting a Spouse in California: What You Need to Know About Inheritance Laws When forming an estate plan, many people assume they maintain complete control over asset distribution after death. While this is generally true when it comes to children, siblings, and extended family, California inheritance law limits a person’s ability to disinherit a spouse. […]

Inheritance: Don’t Let the State Decide

A wealth management scene with wooden family figures, coin stacks, a pencil, and a financial document against a courthouse, symbolizing inheritance, taxes, and family economics.

No one likes the idea of the government stepping in to manage private affairs—especially when it comes to money and property. But without an estate plan, that’s exactly what can happen. If you pass away without the proper legal documents in place, your hard-earned assets could end up in state control through a process called […]

Estate Planning Retreat

Cafe, business people and applause for celebration, success and well done for team building. Clapping, employees, accounting staff in corporate retreat, training and workshop session with thank you.

Is It Time for an Annual Estate Planning Retreat? In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to focus on long-term goals can feel nearly impossible. At Skvarna Law, we often see how easy it is to get caught up in day-to-day responsibilities while important priorities, like estate planning, get pushed aside. One way to stay on track […]

Unborn Child in An Estate Plan?

A woman hugs her man holding an x-ray of her unborn baby

Estate planning doesn’t just reflect what you have today—it anticipates what tomorrow might bring. For many in Glendora and Upland, this means preparing for the unexpected: incapacity, sudden illness, or death. For parents and parents-to-be, the question of whether to include future children in an estate plan often surfaces. Does planning for a child who […]