Pevney Estate Planning

10/15/2026

Two nearly identical California homes can have wildly different property tax bills. One owner may have bought decades ago for around $50,000, while the house next door recently sold for $1 million. Even though the homes are similar, one owner could be paying under $1,000 a year while the other pays more than $10,000. That’s one of the biggest effects of California’s property tax system and Proposition 13. If you own a home in California, these rules can also matter when you’re thinking about a living trust, inheritance, and your estate plan. I’m Michael Pevney, an estate planning lawyer helping California families protect their homes and plan for the future. Visit: https://www.ocestateplanlawyer.com/

10/14/2026

10/13/2026

What happens to California property taxes when a parent dies and the home passes to a child? In many cases, that transfer can be treated as a change in ownership, which may trigger a property tax reassessment. The old parent-to-child exclusion used to be much broader. Today, the exception is much narrower and may apply when the home was the parent’s primary residence and then becomes the child’s primary residence. If you own a home in California and want to understand how a living trust, inheritance, and property taxes may work together, estate planning matters. I’m Michael Pevney, an estate planning lawyer helping California families protect their homes and plan for the next generation.

10/13/2026

10/12/2026

How do you put your house into a living trust in California?

In this video, I explain the basic process I use when helping California families transfer real estate into a revocable living trust.

For many California homeowners, creating the trust is only the first step. A living trust that has not been properly funded may not accomplish what you expect it to accomplish. If your goal is to keep your home out of probate, the way the property is titled can be extremely important.

I cover:

• Why you need to create the living trust before transferring your home
• How to determine who currently owns the property
• How a deed transfers a home from you individually to you as trustee of your trust
• Why the legal description and Assessor’s Parcel Number may matter
• What a California Preliminary Change of Ownership Report (PCOR) is
• Property-tax reassessment concerns when transferring a home into a revocable living trust
• Recording the deed with the county recorder
• Why I generally recommend getting qualified help when transferring California real estate into a trust

I’m Michael Pevney, an Orange County estate planning attorney and owner of Pevney Estate Planning, PC. I help California families create comprehensive estate plans that can include a revocable living trust, wills, powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, and proper planning for California real estate.

If you own a home in Orange County or elsewhere in California and want to discuss creating a living trust, funding an existing trust, avoiding probate, or putting together a complete estate plan, visit my website:

https://www.ocestateplanlawyer.com/

Pevney Estate Planning, PC
25231 Paseo de Alicia Suite 101
Laguna Hills, CA 92653

10/09/2026

Butter Life trusts are private document and not open for public viewing and not filed with any government agency. That means that it is enforceable by the beneficiaries. Make sure you choose the right trustee. # # # # #

10/09/2026

Blended families: Is a trust better than a will? Ensure your spouse and kids from previous relationships are cared for.

10/07/2026

Flute a trust is enforced by the beneficiaries. Make sure you pick the right trustee.

10/07/2026

a trust, benefits you when you are alive because our trustee can take over for our own benefit when we are medically, incapacitated and unable to make medical and financial decision decisions for ourselves.