by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | California Air Force Association, Martin Ledwitz, Press, Samuel B. Ledwitz
California Air Force Association 2014 Annual Convention: Awards to California Air National and California State Military Reserve Personnel and Units The California Air Force Association (CAFA) held its annual convention from 14 to 16 August 2014 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. At the luncheon awards ceremony for CAFA members on 16 August, Colonel (CA) Martin Ledwitz was awarded the new CAFA Distinguished Service Award and placed in the new CAFA Hall of Fame with other inductees. Captain (CA) Eric Van Der Heide was awarded the Meritorious Service Award. In addition, Ledwitz was re-elected the CAFA Area 3 (Southern California) President, and also named the CAFA State Vice President. Van Der Heide was elected the CAFA Area 3 Vice President. The military awards ceremony held that evening saw awards presented to the following California Air NG and Air CSMR units and personnel: Air National Guard ANG Unit of the Year: 144 Fighter Wing, Fresno ANG Airman of the Year: SSgt Carlos Puga, 146 LRS, Channel Islands ANGB ANG NCO of the Year: MSgt Robert R. Amador, 196 RS, March ARB ANG SNCO of the Year: SMSgt John W. Milor, 144 CF, Fresno ANG CGO of the Year: Capt Michael S. Yamamoto, 144 CF, Fresno ANG FGO’s of the Year: Lt Col Esther C. Sablan, 129 AMS, Moffett Federal Field, Maj Todd C. Linton, 163 FW, March ARB and Maj Todd C. Linton, 163 FW, March ARB California State Military Reserve CSMR NCO of the Year: SrA Ashli L. Morgan, 146 AWSU, Channel Islands ANGB CSMR Officer of the Year: 2Lt (CA) Patrick Leonard, 146 AWSU, Channel Islands ANGB... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Estate Planning, Press, Samuel B. Ledwitz, South Bay, Staff
Samuel B. Ledwitz, J.D., LL.M, President/Managing PartnerThe Law Firm of Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates,... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Community, Estate Planning, Samuel B. Ledwitz
The Law Firm of Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC has been recognized by the City of Long Beach for their “philanthropic generosity, and leadership” as well as “seven years of dedicated work to the Long Beach Community.” Al Austin, Councilmember, 8th District and Samuel B.... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Advanced Estate Planning, QPRT, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, Taxes, Trusts
Clintons seek to avoid a tax they once supported Bill and Hillary are reportedly using tax advantaged strategies used by multimillionaires. Read More at fortune.com Qualified Personal Residence Trusts – Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, or QPRTs (pronounced “cue-pert”), are Advanced Estate Planning instruments that help clients transfer their principal residence at a lower Estate/Gift Tax value. Clients benefit from a QPRT’s by transferring their principal residence into an Irrevocable Trust (meaning that the trust cannot be amended, modified, or revoked once it has been created and funded), and retaining a right to live in that residence for a period of years. The named beneficiaries of the trust will receive the residence from the trust when the term ends, should the Grantor survive until that time. Read More at Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC Video – Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC [wp_lightbox_ultimate_youtube_video_embed videoid=”16BkGj4A2ls” playlist=”” width=”853″ height=”480″ hd=”1″ autoplay=”1″ display_control=”1″ fullscreen=”1″ autohide=”2″ theme=”dark” show_suggested_video=”0″ use_https=”” enable_privacy=”” show_logo=”1″ showinfo=”1″ auto_popup=”” direct_embed=”” anchor_type=”image” text=”” source=”https://smartestateplans.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/qprt.png”] Qualified Personal Residence Trust Viewpoints on Financial Planning A qualified personal residence trust is ideal for anyone who has a substantial estate and is expected to face future transfer taxes. One of the best tools to manage future transfer tax liability for wealthy families is a qualified personal residence trust (QPRT). Read More at http://www.bbt.com/bbtdotcom/wealth/retirement-and-planning/trusts-and-estates/qualified-personal-residence-trust.page The ABCs of QPRTs A popular estate planning technique in today’s growing real estate market is to transfer a residence to a qualified personal residence trust (QPRT) to reduce the size of the estate. This article provides a case study on the mechanics... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 26, 2020 | Advance Health Care Directive, Affordable Care Act, Estate Planning, HIPAA, Trusts, Wills
Under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), low income persons under age 65 may enroll in the expanded Medi-Cal in order to meet the federal requirement that everyone have health care insurance. At age 65, Medicare covers doctor visits, hospital visits and some prescription drugs. Read... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Advance Health Care Directive, Conservatorships, Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executor, HIPAA, Trusts, Undue Influence, Wills
Beloved radio personality Casey Kasem passed away last Sunday, leaving behind a media legacy and some eye-opening lessons regarding end-of-life/estate planning. Read... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Environment, Long Beach, Martin Ledwitz, Press, Staff
From The Air & Waste Management Association Website “Join the Air & Waste Management Association for our 107th Annual Conference & Exhibition on June 24-27, 2014 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. This is the environmental industries’ premier education, networking, and solutions event where you will enhance your knowledge and network with fellow environmental professionals from around the world. The conference will feature a technical program boasting over 500 speakers, hundreds of exhibitors displaying the newest products and services, social tours and networking events, and professional development courses taught by leading instructors. The Air & Waste Management Association’s (A&WMA) Annual Conference & Exhibition returns once again to sunny Southern California, this time to the vibrant and digitally connected City of Long Beach. Long Beach is home to one of the world’s busiest seaports and is a center for transportation, industry, and progress. This, along with Long Beach’s convenient travel options, attractive climate, and endless entertainment, is sure to guarantee a spectacular conference experience for all!” Martin Ledwitz is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserve. He has a B.S. in Engineering from NYU, an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Washington State University, and diplomas in Management and International Relations from Air... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated May 30, 2020 | Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Living Trusts, Trusts, Wills
a few minutes ago CHICAGO, Illinois – Every time you turn on the news, it seems like there is a new scam making headlines. By now, we’re all familiar with Bernie Madoff and his infamous Ponzi scheme. Many people have also heard about the “grandparent scam.” Read... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Apr 17, 2019 | Estate Planning, HIPAA, Living Trusts, Probate, Trusts, Wills
As the previous posts demonstrate, estate planners still struggle with how to structure estate plans for married couples in order to accomplish both the tax and nontax objectives of such couples. Introducing the portability election into the arena has only made such choices even more varied. If you asked 10 different […] Read... by Bezaire, Ledwitz & Associates, APC | Last updated Feb 22, 2023 | Estate Administration, Estate Planning, Executor, Living Trusts, Staff, Succesor Trustee, Trusts, Wills
An executor is a person named by a Will in charge of wrapping up the decedent’s estate and making sure that the wishes of the decedent are followed. Often, people name close friends or relatives as executors of their estate, reflecting on that person’s trustworthiness, reliability, and managerial ability. People named as an executor frequently feel a sense of validation or honor at their designation, recognizing that it is a big deal to be left in charge of someone’s Will—but perhaps not recognizing the staggering amount of responsibilities and potential liability that accompany this distinction. An executor’s duties are imposed upon them by the probate code, and though the task of concluding an estate seems simple on the surface, it can be fraught with complications. The marquee duty of an executor is known as a “fiduciary duty,” meaning that the executor must act honestly, in good faith, and in the best interest of the beneficiaries of the estate. Any breach of these duties may expose an executor to personal liability if the beneficiaries choose to sue—something few executors expect. A typical estate, without any complications, can still take up to one year or more to conclude. During this time, an executor can expect to doing the following: Paying debts of the Estate Paying taxes due by the Estate Distributing assets to beneficiaries Creating and managing Estate accounts for handling expenses File the Will with the probate court, follow filing deadlines and instructions, notifying beneficiaries and named parties It is important to distinguish the role of an executor from that of a trustee. A trustee is a different type of...