Mortensen & Reinheimer, PC

04/13/2026

Should you sell your home before you pass—or leave it to your heirs?
The answer isn’t just about taxes. From capital gains to family dynamics and retirement goals, the right decision depends on your unique situation.

Learn the key factors to consider before making one of the biggest financial decisions for your estate.

Deciding whether to sell your home or leave it to your heirs? Learn how capital gains taxes, step-up in basis, probate, and personal factors can impact your estate planning decision.

03/04/2026

As the April 15 tax deadline approaches, estate planning questions are top of mind.

Are you making the most of the 2026 gift tax exclusions? Should you hold appreciated assets until death? What about IRA distributions or moving to a new state with estate taxes?

Smart planning now could mean significant savings for your heirs later.

Read our latest blog to learn key tax strategies to consider in 2026 — and why acting sooner rather than later may make all the difference.

The April 15th tax deadline always brings taxation to the forefront, and along with it, many questions from our clients about how to structure their estate plan to minimize taxation for their heirs.

02/12/2026

Qualified retirement accounts play a major role in your estate plan—but they’re often misunderstood. Learn how beneficiary designations, tax rules, and the Secure Act can impact your heirs in our latest newsletter.

Understanding how to manage qualified retirement plans is often a misunderstood area of estate planning. To meet your specific goals, it is important to learn about structuring inheritance for these assets and the tax impact upon your heirs.

12/09/2025

As we turn the page on another successful year, Mortensen & Reinheimer, PC would like to extend our best wishes and greetings for a happy holiday season, as well as peace and prosperity in the New Year!

10/10/2025

You may know that the probate process can be time consuming and costly - you might even find it scary! While probate is a complex area of the law, we'd like to help demystify it and clarify a few facts for you.

You may know that the probate process can be time consuming and costly - you might even find it scary! While probate is a complex area of the law, we'd like to help demystify it and clarify a few facts for you.

08/12/2025

For generations, vacation homes have been cherished by family members. Since this property is quite often intended to pass on to the next generation, it might not be viewed as a wealth generator but simply as a family heirloom. In fact, many vacation homes generate negative cash flow, even on a tax basis. So, financially, vacation homes are typically thought of as a luxury asset whose primary value is enjoyment.

Importantly, in terms of estate planning, the property tax considerations of vacation homes have changed dramatically with the passage of Prop 19. This law has potentially severe financial consequences for children who inherit real property from their parents, because it considerably limits the availability of the parent–child exclusion for purposes of real estate tax assessments and resulting property taxation. Read on for more.

(Note: This article is general in nature and is geared towards California properties. Seek professional legal and accounting advice before making any decisions.)

06/10/2025

If you are in an unmarried relationship and have determined that you'd like to provide for your significant other in the event of death, there are a few items to address. Read on for more.

https://www.ocestateplanning.net/s/30q896W

If you are in an unmarried relationship and have determined that you'd like to provide for your significant other in the event of death, there are a few items to address:

05/21/2025

Has this happened to someone you know? An elderly widowed father remarries to a much younger woman. Within a year, concerns about abuse arise (e.g., emotional, withholding sex/affection, etc.) and the children express their concerns to the father. Subsequently, the children are told the father doesn't want to see them anymore. Later, the adult children find out the will has been changed and most assets are now being designated for the new wife, instead of equally spread to all the children as previously intended.

Has this happened to someone you know? An elderly widowed father remarries to a much younger woman.

04/09/2025

It used to be that rental properties could be passed down for generations, as a wealth transfer technique. But now, our California government has changed the property tax aspect of that approach with the passage of Prop 19. This law has potentially severe financial consequences for children who inherit real property from their parents, because it considerably limits the availability of the parent-child exclusion for purposes of real estate tax assessments and resulting property-taxation.

(Note: This article is general in nature and is geared towards California properties. Seek professional legal and accounting advice before making any decisions.)

It used to be that rental properties could be passed down for generations, as a wealth transfer technique. But now, our California government has changed the property tax aspect of that approach with the passage of Prop 19. This law has potentially severe financial consequences for children who inhe...

03/13/2025

When a marriage is dissolved, it is important to understand how it affects your estate plan. There are two critical aspects that should be understood: the impact of California law on estate planning, and personalized changes that should be made by divorcees.

When a marriage is dissolved, it is important to understand how it affects your estate plan. There are two critical aspects that should be understood: the impact of California law on estate planning, and personalized changes that should be made by divorcees.

02/25/2025

Scenario: Your widowed father, who was always a do-it-yourselfer, met with his attorney and prepared an estate plan. Wanting to save a bit in legal fees, he planned on handling all the paperwork in funding the trust, including changing and refiling deeds of trust. Unfortunately, this never happened, as you and other heirs just found out - while you await probate court decisions on the disposition of your father's assets. The moral of the story: While
creating a trust is a great estate planning strategy, unless your trust is "funded," it will be of little value.

To "fund" a trust simply means to transfer assets into it. How this is accomplished depends on the nature of the property, for example, by changing the titles on any accounts, property, or beneficiary designations.