California is a community property state. How that affects your and your spouse's need for a will

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A spouse doesn't automatically inherit everything if the other passes away without a will, even in a community property state such as California.

Dear Liz: Does a spouse automatically inherit everything if the other passes away without a will? Answer: Not necessarily. Anything that has a beneficiary designation, such as retirement accounts and life insurance, would typically pass to the person named as beneficiary even if that’s not the surviving spouse. Bank and investment accounts also may have “transfer on death” or “pay on death” beneficiaries. In many states, cars and even homes can be passed with beneficiary designations.

Conversions can’t count against your RMDs, and you’re not allowed to put an RMD into a Roth. Any money you convert to a Roth would, however, reduce future RMDs, since Roths aren’t subject to mandatory distributions. Your heirs wouldn’t pay taxes on inherited Roth accounts, either, although they would be required to drain those accounts within 10 years. Plus, you’re increasing your pool of tax-free money.

 

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Elias: California housing policy based on state’s bad forecastingNate is an East Bay community papers editor for the Bay Area News Group and East Bay Times. He edits the Hills weekly Alameda Journal, Berkeley Voice, El Cerrito Journal, Montclarion and Piedmonter newspapers; Central Costa County's weekly Concord Transcript and Walnut Creek Journal papers; and East Contra Costa's weekly East County News.
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