Diana Benson-Realtor DRE #01264402

If you want to keep your loved ones out of Probate court when you are gone, talk to your attorney about creating a Trust.

Good information to know about gift money and taxes. https://smartasset.com/retirement/gift-tax-limits.

County Parks are now open!! For more information please visit http://www.ventura.org/general-services-ag/parks-department or call (805) 654-3951

Property taxes are due tomorrow California.

For those LA County property owners: Statement from Keith Knox, Treasurer and Tax Collector "I understand that this is a very stressful time, especially for th...ose suffering direct effects from this public health crisis, and my office is committed to helping in any way we can. Los Angeles County property owners affected by the COVID-19 virus may have late penalties cancelled if they are unable to pay their property taxes by the April 10 deadline. We have no authority to extend the April 10 deadline, as outlined by State Law. However, beginning on April 11, the day after property taxes are due, people unable to pay on time for reasons related to COVID-19 may submit a request for penalty cancellation online. The department has set up a special team to process these requests for those who demonstrate they were affected by the outbreak. We encourage all property owners who can pay their taxes on time to do so. This revenue helps keep the government running and providing vital services that the public relies on, especially in times like these. Since County buildings are currently closed to the public during this emergency, there will be no in-person payments. Instead, taxpayers can pay online, via telephone or by mail. There is no cost for e-Check payments online. For online credit/debit card transactions, our card payment processor charges a 2.25 percent service fee. We have developed responses to our most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Please click here for our FAQs Taxpayers can also visit https://ttc.lacounty.gov/, to review payment methods and several other online self-service options. Taxpayers may also call (213) 974-2111 for additional information"

Tax season is coming!

If you have not paid attention to what our elected officials are doing we as California Citizens need to Wake Up as if this happens it will be the final nail i...n the Coffin! Major property tax increases are on the launch pad as California politicians try to repeal prop 13 by slipping it under the radar. California's Attorney General, Xavier Becerra is putting together plans to raise property tax revenue by eliminating the only thing keeping some people's property tax from sky rocketing, Prop 13. Because they know it will be unpopular if presented as "Repeal Prop 13," Xavier Becerra has strategically relabeled it "Education and Local Government Funding." It's already on the 2020 ballot and much like the gasoline tax, it will be worded in a way that misleads California voters. People renting may see it as a way to get something for nothing, but the long term result will be higher rents to pay due to the increase in property taxes. People are leaving the state in record numbers, and many here are barely hanging on, this could be something that changes the face of California forever. All my California friends and family, please COPY and REPOST as this must be defeated. California’s surplus is how much? From the Orange County Register July 29,2019 If one includes reserves from special funds and adds them to the generally accepted figure of the surplus, the answer is stunning. General fund reserves exceed $20 billion and special fund reserves exceed $16 billion. In short, California is sitting on over $36 billion. This doesn’t even include the billions kept in reserve by local governments. How much more do they need?

IMPORTANT RESEARCH Go to annualcreditreport.com and get your free credit report regularly. This is the U.S. Government’s recommended site. You might be surpri...sed like we were two years ago to see that a reputable bank had posted a negative comment in error. Took some time and real effort from D.J. to get it cleared off. Check out your credit report. It’s free. Your credit score will cost you a few dollars. It is worth the cost so that you know what the world thinks of your finances at this time. Tip: Don’t go to freecreditreport.com as that is a for profit group that wants to sell you credit monitoring service which you probably don’t need. Also, that company is one for the leading sellers of people’s personal information. Enough said.