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Abuse relationships rarely begin with abuse. They start out with all the same warmth and butterflies of happy and healthy relationships. Then comes the falling in love and creating a life together. There may be signs of abusive tendencies, but those are just flukes or signs of how deep and true that love is. The abuse begins to creep in though, growing slowly over time. As it becomes more confident, it reaches further, taking up more space until abuse is all that is left in a relationship. Abusive partners are charming in the beginning, but they have a way of escalating steadily, sometimes slowly, sometimes very quickly

Trust is a fundamental and foundational element in any and every relationship, platonic or romantic. It's the key to a relationship's success, longevity, stability, and well-being. Trust can be given freely, but it should be earned. In today's technologically dependent world, everything from comp...

It had been a beautiful and fun-filled day at the Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California that April 29, 2017. That is until my life was completely flipped upside down within a matter of hours. This isn't a story I'm necessarily fond of or proud to tell, but it is an experience I feel compelled t...

In the midst of an abusive relationship, whether it be physical, emotional, psychological, or somewhere in between, it is so hard to identify the abuse as abuse. Abusive moments are often referred to as ‘a bad day,' ‘that's just who they are,' ‘honestly, it was really my fault,' or any number of ...

This article is about how to lower the impact of California State income tax on capital gains using a Nevada or Wyoming Incomplete-Gift Non-Grantor Trust or NING/WING Trust. California taxes are based on income, which comes under the jurisdiction of the State of California. People in California p...

Meeting the Minimum Minimum policy limits for auto insurance vary greatly from state to state. In California, you can be fined if you drive without sufficient insurance, also called proof of financial responsibility. Thus, it helps to know what those minimum policy limit requirements are so you c...

Can Fault Be Shared? When one person is at fault for an accident, determining liability and filing an insurance claim can be relatively straightforward. When both drivers are at fault, however, determining who is responsible for the costs becomes a little more complicated. The laws on fault are s...

Can an Attorney Assist With Your Settlement? When people embark on the insurance claims process, few think of consulting with a personal injury attorney. Many feel the insurance company will do what's right and compensate you appropriately. In reality, insurance companies typically do what's “rig...

 Held to a Standard Negligence plays a significant role in insurance claims, as the negligent party could be the one who is found liable for compensating the wronged party. To understand how negligence plays a role in insurance claims, let's first take a look at the legal definition. Negligence D...

Planning for Taxes The federal estate tax can hit high net-worth estates with a hefty tax burden that affects the surviving family members. Most people want to leave all their assets to their heirs, not the federal government. The lifetime exclusion amount for gifts and estates is just under $11....

A Second Step Nearly one-fourth of all married spouses have been married before, according to a recent Pew Research Center study. Remarriage is becoming more common, as are blended families. But remarriage presents unique complications in estate planning, as your family structure—and your intende...

Planning for Your Pets Pets are considered property, legally speaking, although they play a much more important role in our lives. When we die, our property can be distributed according to our wishes. You might not care what happens to your collectibles and other belongings once your beneficiarie...

Unique Needs Same-sex couples face the same challenges as heterosexual couples do when estate planning. Married same-sex spouses enjoy many benefits and are viewed the same as heterosexual spouses for legal and tax purposes. Unmarried spouses, however, have to take a few additional steps to ensur...

Dog Bite Liability in California Dog bites can cause severe injuries and even death. Breed-specific legislation has worked to limit where specific breeds, such as Pit Bulls and German Shepherds, can live, thus providing protection on the community and municipal level. But people still fall prey t...

Planning for the Future as an Unmarried Couple For married couples, estate planning may be relatively straightforward. With many assets, the deceased's spouse is typically the beneficiary. For unmarried couples, however, estate planning might take a few additional measures to ensure the surviving...

Settling a personal injury claim isn't as easy as submitting your medical bills and waiting for a check. Well, insurance companies might want you to think it's that easy, but only because that method usually results in the claimant receiving less compensation than he or she deserves. The truth is...

Having the right to file a personal injury claim does not mean you have a right to have your claim paid right away. Many people don't realize they must go through the insurance claims process before they can receive the compensation they deserve. This leaves many who've been injured in an acciden...

Protecting Your Right to Privacy When filing a personal injury claim, insurance companies will request medical records to corroborate the medical bills for which you are seeking reimbursement. But insurance companies will also use medical records as a resource through which to comb for evidence t...

Insurance companies spend a lot of money on presenting an image to the public of a trusted service company that has your best interests in mind. From well-known spokespeople to catchy taglines, Big Insurance is not without its deceptive practices. Insurance companies make an effort to convince po...

If you've been in an accident or opened up an insurance claim, you may be quickly contacted by an insurance investigator and asked to provide a statement. The insurance representative may initiate the conversation by asking how you are recovering from your accident. In reality, the question is mo...

Managing and Controlling Assets Trusts provide an avenue to pass wealth to your heirs while retaining some control over when and how they receive those funds. Because they are little understood, trusts are often overlooked as a vehicle for carrying out your wishes for your estate when you die. Bu...

Reaching Your Goals, Protecting Your Interests Proper asset protection planning can safeguard your hard-earned assets should you face legal trouble down the road. An essential step in financial planning, too many Californians overlook the importance of asset protection planning because they don't...

Naming Beneficiaries Many people overlook the importance of naming life insurance, annuity, and retirement account beneficiaries. Often, making a mistake when naming a beneficiary will result in an expensive and lengthy probate process upon the policy or account holder's death. Because these acco...

Writing Your Will Many Californians forgo creating a will for all the wrong reasons. Some assume wills are only necessary if you have a high net-worth, while others feel that thinking about what happens when you die is too unpleasant of an experience. In reality, everyone should have a will, no m...

Estate Tax Explained California phased out the requirement to file a State estate tax return for descendants who died on or after January 1, 2005. However, the Federal estate tax is still enforceable. The Federal estate tax only affects a small percentage of wealthy Americans, estimated at two ou...