DeCosimo Law

You Have Life Insurance. But Will It Protect Your Family the Way You Think? - https://mailchi.mp/decosimolaw/is-your-estate-plan-ready-for-summer-6432286

A Few Updates—and Something Fun This Fall - https://mailchi.mp/decosimolaw/is-your-estate-plan-ready-for-summer-6432545

Life Insurance Is Not an Estate Plan, But It Can Make Your Estate Plan Work

Buying a policy answers one question: is there money? It doesn't answer who receives it, who controls it, or what happens if the beneficiary is a minor.

We've seen it play out again and again: a beneficiary form nobody updated after a divorce, minor children named directly (which triggers a court proceeding), a blended family where the "wrong" person ends up in control. None of these families did anything careless — they just assumed the policy was the plan.

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month, and it's a good time to ask a better question than "do I have coverage?" Ask instead: does my coverage match my current beneficiaries, my family, and my estate plan?

Life insurance isn't a substitute for an estate plan — but paired with the right beneficiary designations and trust, it's what makes the plan actually work when your family needs it most.

Read the full article (link in comments) 👇

Your Life Insurance Policy Isn't as "Done" as You Think — DeCosimo Law Life insurance and estate planning need to work together. Four real California family scenarios show what happens when they don't.

"Ya se sabe." Everyone already knows how it's supposed to go. For one California family, that shared understanding was never put into a legal document, and when their mother passed away, California law made the decisions she never got to make herself.

💛 In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, our newest blog post follows the story of Rosa's family, and what happened to the home she spent 34 years building a life around. It's not about expecting the worst, it's about protecting what your family has worked so hard to build. Read the full story on our blog.

#𝖯𝗋𝗈𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗋𝖥𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗒

"Ya Se Sabe" — When Everyone "Just Knows" Isn't a California Estate Plan — DeCosimo Law A Temecula family assumed the family home would stay in the family. Without a trust, California intestate succession law decided otherwise. Here's what every multigenerational family should know.

Thinking about using AI to help plan your estate? Here's the honest truth: it's a great tool for getting organized, but it can't replace the judgment of an attorney who knows California law and knows you. 🏡📋

Our latest blog breaks down exactly where AI helps, where it falls short, and how we use both to serve our clients better. Link in bio!



Read More:

AI Can Help You Prepare for Estate Planning, But It Takes an Attorney to Protect You — DeCosimo Law Thinking about using AI to get ready for your California estate plan? Learn what AI does well, where it falls short under California law, and how attorneys use it to serve you better.

Good news for California families planning their estates: the "tax cliff" everyone worried about didn't happen.

The federal estate tax exemption for 2026 is now a permanent $15 million per person ($30 million per married couple) — thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law last year. That's instead of the roughly $7 million drop that was originally scheduled to hit this year.

What this means for most families: if your estate is under the threshold, federal estate tax isn't something you need to worry about. California also has no separate state estate or inheritance tax, so that federal number is really the only one to watch.

But a bigger exemption doesn't mean your plan is finished. Probate avoidance, portability elections for married couples, and keeping your trust up to date still matter — especially with California home values what they are.

📍 Read the full breakdown on our blog (link in comments/bio) or reach out to schedule a review of your estate plan.

DeCosimo Law | Temecula, CA

2026 Estate Tax Exemption Rises to $15M — DeCosimo Law The federal estate tax exemption jumped to $15M in 2026 under the OBBBA. See what it means for your California trust and whether your plan needs an update.

If you couldn't walk into your business tomorrow, who would keep things moving?

For business owners, estate planning isn't just about deciding who inherits your assets. Someone may need to make payroll, pay vendors, access accounts, communicate with employees and customers, and make important decisions, sometimes with very little notice.

And if you own a licensed professional practice, there may be additional rules governing who can own or manage the business.

Our latest article explains why a living trust is only one part of the picture, and the questions every business owner should be asking about succession planning.

You've worked hard to build your business. Make sure there's a plan to protect it when you're not there.

👉 Read the full article: https://www.decosimolaw.com/blog/when-your-business-dies-with-you-the-california-succession-gap-every-practice-owner-misses

Business Succession Planning for California Business Owners | DeCosimo Law — DeCosimo Law What happens to your business if you can’t run it? Learn how California business owners can coordinate estate and succession planning to protect their business, family, and legacy.

Is Someone You Love Turning 18 This Year? - https://mailchi.mp/decosimolaw/is-your-estate-plan-ready-for-summer-6431742

National Make-A-Will Month: Before You Make a Will, Read This -

https://mailchi.mp/decosimolaw/is-your-estate-plan-ready-for-summer-6431661

What will your family remember most about you?

Will it be your house...
Your investments...

Or your famous holiday recipes, family traditions, and the stories only you could tell?

A trust protects your assets, but a legacy letter preserves you.

In our newest blog, Deanna shares a touching personal story about a handwritten cookbook from her grandmother and why it forever changed the way she thinks about estate planning.

Because sometimes the most meaningful inheritance isn't measured in dollars.

https://www.decosimolaw.com/blog/what-is-a-legacy-letter



❤️ Read the blog here:
https://www.decosimolaw.com/blog/what-is-a-legacy-letter

www.decosimolaw.com