This is a bitter topic. Is the media’s portrayal of white heterosexual males as having some sort of a “triple privilege” actually contributing to acts of mass gun violence? There is no legally enforceable advantage to being a white heterosexual male. I read an article recently on a website “vice.com,” that noted that it was…
January Checklist: Start your New Year’s Resolution and get your affairs in order. Now is a great time to get your business and personal affairs in order. 2018 is a good year to incorporate your business, set up your living trust, amend any legal documents, and get things in line for the future. There are…
The year 2018 brings some changes to the law which may affect your estate plan – likely for the better for most individuals. Regardless of your opinion of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” [the “Act”] it is now law, and your situation must be assessed in light of the changes made for purposes of…
Today Wells Fargo Bank gave notification to account holders that they have reached a $142 million class action settlement related to the unauthorized opening of bank accounts. If you are banking or have been banking with Wells Fargo, you must take action to recover from Wells Fargo’s efforts to make things right (details at bottom…
Christian Estate Planning While the ultimate goal is the same for all estate planners (who gets what, and how), a Christian approaches the estate planning process from a unique perspective. A Christian recognizes that their assets have been entrusted to them by God, and they desire to please God with their stewardship of these assets…
Estate Planning Is A Responsible New Year’s Resolution The New Year is a time for reflection, and such introspection usually leads to making decisions to live life better, to pursue new goals, and to renew commitment to old goals. This year, consider adding estate planning to your list of resolutions. Why estate planning? It’s about responsibility. Estate…
Price Hike Coming If you are a notary, you may be setting up for a 50% raise next year. Effective January 1, 2017, the maximum fee a Notary Public may charge will be $15 for Acknowledgments and Jurats. The maximum price for most notary services for the remainder of 2016 is still $10. That’s an…
Online notarization is not legal. That’s right, there really are no online notaries in California (legally). Do not be fooled by what you may see advertised online, you cannot have a California notarization completed online, via webcam, etc. At least as of the date of this publication, online notarization is not permissible and a California…
Is there tax reform in the pipeline? President-elect Donald Trump promised during his campaign that he would repeal the death taxes, as in change the laws around what people must pay out of their estates when they pass away. Specifically, candidate Trump promised to repeal the death taxes. Right now, on the Federal level, the…
Law Office of Merrill A. Hanson was proud to support the Bryan Clay “Fit 4 Fall” 5K. The foundation, run by Bryan Clay, the American decathlete, and winner of the 2008 Summer Olympics (decathlon), and World Champion in 2005, gives away thousands of dollars to support local schools in Glendora. This year’s winner was La…