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California has one of the best real property tax systems in the country. In general, it provides a maximum 2% annual increase to your property taxes while you own your home, giving homeowners the ability to manage their property tax obligations. There are a few scenarios such as remodeling where your property tax base may increase a bit, but overall it is a good system compared to other states where the government reassesses residences annually based on its opinion of your home’s fair market value. Like me, you may feel you still pay too much in property taxes, but at least it’s a fair and predictable system.

When issues arise with your business' public restroom, it is likely a clogged toilet or an ADA violation. But what about a restroom with the wrong gender label?

As of March 1, 2017, all single-user restrooms in any business establishment that is open to the public must be identified as "all gender toilet facilities,"

For most active businesses with employees, you dutifully carry the required Worker's Compensation Insurance required by California Law. But just when you think you are doing all the right things, you may find you are in violation of new legislation that further expands required Workers Compensation insurance coverage for California businesses.

We have all been there, positive we emailed that person but they say they never got it; or getting stuck with a late penalty because the little notice got lost in your junk mail in your mailbox. Getting and giving notice is an important component of running any successful business

Lawyers can have nostalgia too. Especially when it comes to reminiscing about the good ol' days when the liability protection built into the corporate structure was clearly defined and reliable. In days of old, using a corporation to engage in business operations insulated the individual owners, directors, and officers from risking personal liability unless they disregarded corporate formalities, or acted particularly naughty. But California legislation just weakened corporate liability protection with its recent passage of the A Fair Day's Pay Act (SB 588) last fall.

If you Google �cost to create an estate plan� or other similar search term, other than some informative blogs from some honest attorneys, you will likely not get the answer you are seeking. Instead, most attorney websites are designed to sell their credentials as competent professionals.

On January 1, 2016, California joined 27 other States when it codified revocable transfer-on-death (TOD) deeds as a new estate planning tool for real estate owners. Proponents of TOD deeds celebrate it as a simple and effective estate planning alternative for the average homeowner. This celebration should be viewed with a skeptical eye.