043: What Most Solo Attorneys Get Wrong About Law Firm Profitability with Bree Herman

048: Term vs Whole vs Universal Life Insurance with Frank Campbell

Most of us assume our life insurance will quietly be there when our families need it. Frank Campbell is here to explain why that assumption can be dangerously wrong. We talk with Frank, a California-licensed Life and Disability Analyst, about why an estimated 80% of existing life insurance policies may never pay a beneficiary, and how we can flip those odds. Drawing on more than 30 years of helping clients protect their futures, Frank breaks down the core difference between term and permanent coverage in plain English. We explore term life as essentially "renting" a death benefit for temporary needs and why those policies are actuarially designed to expire before most people die. From there, we move into permanent insurance and the critical distinction between whole life policies with unconditional guarantees and universal or variable universal life policies built on conditional guarantees that depend on projected returns and internal costs. Frank shares real client stories of policies that quietly "ran out of gas," leaving retirees heartbroken and beneficiaries unprotected. He explains how his Stratus Policy AssessmentSM gives clients a clear, jargon-free review of what their policies will actually do, and why a checkup every five years is so important as products, companies, and regulations change. In this episode, you will hear: * Why an estimated 80% of life insurance policies may never pay a beneficiary * Term life as "rented" coverage for temporary needs and what happens when the term ends * Whole life with unconditional guarantees and how policies can be fully funded for lifelong coverage * Universal and variable universal life with conditional guarantees and hidden risks * Real-world examples of policies "running out of gas" late in life * Importance of regular policy reviews and aligning insurance with the estate plan Resources from this Episode https://stratusfp.com/about-us/the-president/ [https://stratusfp.com/about-us/the-president/] https://www.amazon.com/How-Proper-Policy-Review-Beneficiaries-ebook/dp/B096Z2VMVR/ [https://www.amazon.com/How-Proper-Policy-Review-Beneficiaries-ebook/dp/B096Z2VMVR/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-m-campbell-clu-98b91040/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-m-campbell-clu-98b91040/] The 6-Stage Probate Process: How to Navigate California Probate: https://a.co/d/82310Rw [https://a.co/d/82310Rw] Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/probate-notes-your-guide-to-navigating-california-probate/id1808728561]. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com [https://emeraldcitypro.com/]. Let them know we sent you.

047: What Happens When a Person With Disabilities Receives an Unexpected Inheritance With Kevin Urbatsch

On this episode, we have special needs planning authority Kevin Urbatsch on to unpack what happens when a person with disabilities receives an unexpected inheritance. They walk through how SSI, Medi-Cal, and IHSS interact, why a windfall can jeopardize essential care, and what families need to understand before a parent's estate plan unintentionally cuts off benefits. We break down first-party options such as D4A and pooled special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and the timing of a spend-down. They cover eligibility thresholds, timing rules regarding the month of receipt, and the trade-offs of payback provisions, so practitioners can protect a client's long-term quality of life. Kevin Urbatsch is a certified specialist in estate planning, trust, and probate law and the National Director of the Academy of Special Needs Planners, with three decades of experience focused on special needs trusts. In this episode, you will hear: * Risks of unexpected inheritances to SSI, Medi-Cal, and IHSS eligibility * Using ABLE accounts and strategic spend downs to preserve benefits * Payback requirements to state agencies and why third-party planning is often better * Capacity issues, conservatorships, and court-ordered special needs trusts * Special challenges for beneficiaries over 65 and for minors who inherit directly * Practical guidance for trustees, fiduciaries, and attorneys managing SNTs Resources from this Episode https://www.urblaw.com/ [https://www.urblaw.com/] https://sntsymposium.com/ [https://sntsymposium.com/] https://www.amazon.com/Administering-California-Special-Needs-Trust/dp/B0GJPGQDJH [https://www.amazon.com/Administering-California-Special-Needs-Trust/dp/B0GJPGQDJH] https://store.nolo.com/products/special-needs-trusts-spnt.html [https://store.nolo.com/products/special-needs-trusts-spnt.html] The 6-Stage Probate Process: How to Navigate California Probate: https://a.co/d/82310Rw [https://a.co/d/82310Rw] Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/probate-notes-your-guide-to-navigating-california-probate/id1808728561]. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com [https://emeraldcitypro.com/]. Let them know we sent you.

046: Inland Empire Estate Planning Seminar Guide for California Probate Professionals With Philip M. Savage IV

In this episode, Sam talks with Philip M. Savage IV, director at Fennemore and 30-year estate planning veteran, about the role the Inland Empire Estate Planning Seminar has played in his practice and in the growth of high-level probate and estate planning work across the region. They walk through the seminar's 47-year evolution — from its roots with local estate planning councils and CLU organizations to today's nonprofit board that continues to bring national-caliber education to San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Phil explains why practitioners here no longer need to travel to coastal cities for cutting-edge content, and how consistent attendance has shaped his network and expertise. They preview the upcoming annual seminar in San Bernardino, highlighting sessions on probate mediation, working with corporate trustees, current developments in estate planning, and charitable giving. Along the way, they unpack practical charitable planning ideas like contingent and endowed gifts, drafting for changing purposes, and giving clients' families flexibility to redirect gifts while honoring intent. Listeners learn how multidisciplinary collaboration among attorneys, CPAs, financial planners, fiduciaries, insurance professionals, and elder-care specialists leads to better outcomes for clients, and why the Inland Empire's scale and culture make it an unusually supportive place to build those relationships and practice estate planning. In this episode, you will hear: * Origins and 47-year history of the Inland Empire Estate Planning Seminar and its nonprofit board * Who the seminar serves * Overview of featured topics and speakers for the upcoming annual seminar in San Bernardino * Charitable giving strategies including contingent gifts, endowed gifts, and drafting for changing charities * The power of multidisciplinary collaboration to better serve estate planning clients * What makes San Bernardino and Riverside counties a uniquely connected and rewarding place to practice law Resources from this Episode https://www.fennemorelaw.com/people/attorneys/philip-m-savage-iv/ [https://www.fennemorelaw.com/people/attorneys/philip-m-savage-iv/] https://www.ieestateplanningseminar.org/ [https://www.ieestateplanningseminar.org/] The 6-Stage Probate Process: How to Navigate California Probate: https://a.co/d/82310Rw [https://a.co/d/82310Rw] Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/probate-notes-your-guide-to-navigating-california-probate/id1808728561]. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com [https://emeraldcitypro.com/] Let them know we sent you.

045: Fiduciary Banking for Probate: What Attorneys Need to Know About Estate and Trust Accounts with Blanca Alfaro

Sam Price sits down with Blanca Alfaro, a relationship banking specialist at CalPrivate Bank, to break down exactly what probate attorneys, fiduciaries, and personal representatives need to know about estate and trust banking in California. Blanca walks through the full account setup process, from gathering probate letters and death certificates to funding accounts remotely via wire or FedEx, all without the client ever stepping foot in a branch. She covers blocked accounts, joint control accounts, extended FDIC insurance, U.S. Treasury bond redemptions, medallion stamps, and the court forms attorneys deal with every day, including MC355 and MC356. What sets Blanca apart is her approach. She meets clients at home, at coffee shops, even at hospitals, because getting the paperwork done right matters more than keeping office hours. This one is packed with practical detail that will make the next probate matter easier to manage. In this episode, you will hear: * Opening estate and trust accounts remotely, without clients ever visiting a branch * What documents CalPrivate Bank needs to get started, from probate letters to death certificates and EINs * How blocked accounts work, what triggers a court order to release funds, and the specific court forms attorneys use daily * Extended FDIC insurance that keeps all estate funds under one roof, one statement, and one year-end 1099 * Two-signature and joint control accounts, and how CalPrivate actually monitors and confirms both approvals before any funds move * U.S. Treasury bond redemptions, medallion stamps, and notary services handled directly by the bank's team * The relationship banking difference, personal contacts, no 800 numbers, and a specialist who has met clients at hospitals, coffee shops, and home visits to get the job done Resources from this Episode https://calprivate.bank/directors/blanca-alfaro/ [https://calprivate.bank/directors/blanca-alfaro/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/blanca-alfaro-10b9486/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/blanca-alfaro-10b9486/] The 6-Stage Probate Process: How to Navigate California Probate: https://a.co/d/82310Rw [https://a.co/d/82310Rw] Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/probate-notes-your-guide-to-navigating-california-probate/id1808728561]. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com [https://emeraldcitypro.com/] Let them know we sent you.

044: Property Tax Exclusions in California Probate: The Rules Most Families Get Wrong, with Gregory R. Broege

California property taxes don't follow simple rules, and that gap in knowledge costs families thousands of dollars every year. In this episode, Sam Price sits down with Gregory R. Broege, a partner at Ajalat, Polley, Ayoob, Matarese, and Broege, to break down what actually happens to property taxes when a real property owner dies in California. Gregory walks through the interspousal exclusion, the sweeping 2021 changes to the parent/child exclusion under Prop 19, grandparent/grandchild transfers, equalized distributions, and the co-tenancy exclusion for unmarried co-owners. The difference between the old rules and the new ones isn't academic. A family home that qualified for full exclusion before 2021 could now trigger a partial reassessment even when every requirement is met. Anyone working in California probate needs to understand these rules before a filing deadline passes. In this episode, you will hear: * Prop 13 basics and why California property taxes reset at death * How the interspousal exclusion protects surviving spouses from reassessment * The 2021 Prop 19 changes that rewrote the parent/child exclusion rules * Filing deadlines and homeowner's exemption requirements heirs must meet * When the grandparent/grandchild exclusion applies and why the middle generation matters * Equalized distributions and trust loans as strategies for keeping the Prop 13 base * The co-tenancy exclusion for unmarried co-owners sharing a principal residence Resources from this Episode https://apataxlaw.com/personnel/gregory-r-broege/ [https://apataxlaw.com/personnel/gregory-r-broege/] The 6-Stage Probate Process: How to Navigate California Probate: https://a.co/d/82310Rw [https://a.co/d/82310Rw] Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/probate-notes-your-guide-to-navigating-california-probate/id1808728561]. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com [https://emeraldcitypro.com/] Let them know we sent you.