Archive for September 2025
Holding Space for Both
This week I’ve been sitting with a thought that keeps returning to me: how often life asks us to hold two seemingly opposite truths at the same time. We like clarity. We like neat categories—joy or sorrow, busy or restful, moving forward or holding on. But the reality of being human rarely offers such clean…
Read MoreRoutines of Contentment
There’s something about September that brings us back to ourselves. After the long, unstructured days of summer—days filled with travel, rest, or simply a loosening of the usual rules—we find ourselves drawn again into rhythm. Calendars are marked, alarms are set, and the gentle predictability of daily life resumes. While it may first feel like…
Read MoreThe SALT Deduction and Real Estate Clients
Few groups are as directly impacted by the recent increase in the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction as real estate clients. For years, the $10,000 cap on SALT deductions eroded the financial appeal of owning multiple properties in high-tax states. With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), however, the cap…
Read MoreTax Planning Under the Big Beautiful Bill: What Changed?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), enacted on July 4, 2025, represents one of the most comprehensive overhauls of tax and estate planning law in recent memory. Its provisions reach across multiple areas—estate taxes, income taxes, Medi-Cal eligibility, and deductions—redefining the way advisors should approach client conversations and strategies. For advisors, this legislation is…
Read MoreThe SALT Deduction Is Back—Here’s Why That Matters
For years, many families—especially those in states like California, New York, and New Jersey—felt penalized by the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction cap. The limit restricted taxpayers to just $10,000 in deductions for state and local taxes, no matter how much they actually paid. For homeowners and property investors in high-tax areas, that cap…
Read MoreIs It Time to Update Your Tax Plan?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, brought long-awaited relief on the tax front. For many households, it feels like a breath of fresh air: no looming tax hikes, higher deductions, and more predictability. But while the changes are largely positive, they also mean it’s time to revisit…
Read MoreWinners and Losers Under the Big Beautiful Bill
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, has been called “beautiful” by some and “ugly” by others. Why? Because its sweeping reforms bring significant advantages for certain families while creating new challenges for others. Here’s what you need to know. The Winners High-Net-Worth Families The federal estate tax…
Read MoreWhy Medi-Cal Planning Just Became More Urgent
For decades, Californians have relied on Medi-Cal as a safety net for long-term care. When personal savings, retirement income, or private insurance fall short, Medi-Cal often steps in to cover the costs of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, or in-home support. But under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July…
Read MoreHelping Clients Navigate Medi-Cal’s New Asset Rules
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, did more than raise estate tax exemptions. It also reduced federal funding for Medicaid, forcing states like California to reassess how they administer long-term care benefits. One of the most significant outcomes is the reinstatement of strict asset tests for Medi-Cal…
Read MoreHow Advisors Should Talk to Clients About the New Estate Exemption
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, permanently reshaped the estate planning landscape. By raising the estate tax exemption to $15 million per person ($30 million per couple) and eliminating the previously scheduled 2026 sunset, the OBBBA removed one of the largest sources of uncertainty for high-net-worth families.…
Read MoreCould Medi-Cal Changes Put Your Future at Risk?
For many Californians, Medi-Cal has been a lifeline—helping cover the staggering costs of long-term care when savings and insurance fall short. But the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, has brought major changes that could put that safety net out of reach for more families than ever before.…
Read MoreThink You’re Safe from Estate Taxes? Think Again
When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) became law on July 4, 2025, it set the federal estate tax exemption at $15 million per person (or $30 million for couples), indexed for inflation. On the surface, this number seems so high that most families assume estate taxes are no longer a concern. But here’s…
Read MoreThe Good News About Your Income Taxes
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, didn’t just transform estate planning. It also brought meaningful relief on the income tax front, shielding many families from rising tax burdens that were scheduled to take effect in 2026. No More Bracket Creep Under the old law, federal income tax…
Read MoreWhat the Big Beautiful Bill Means for Your Estate Plan
When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) became law on July 4, 2025, it changed the estate planning landscape in a permanent way. For years, families have had to plan around uncertainty—watching exemption amounts rise and fall with political tides and worrying about looming sunsets. Now, there’s a new reality. A Higher and Permanent…
Read MoreFirsts Can Be Hard
September always seems to hold its breath. The days are still warm, but the evenings whisper of change. There is a shift in light, in rhythm, in the quiet turning of the year. And in this turning come the “firsts”—those tender markers that remind us how much of life is lived in thresholds. The first…
Read More