Transfer Taxes

The Cost Most People Notice Only After They Have Agreed to Pay It Transfer taxes are rarely part of how people think about the cost of owning property. They tend to surface late, often after a price has been negotiated, contingencies removed, and the sale feels psychologically complete. Then the clo

All About Supplemental Assessments

For many homeowners, the first encounter with a supplemental property tax bill feels like a mistake. The purchase closed months ago. The regular tax bill already arrived. Payments are current. Then, out of nowhere, a separate notice shows up with a new amount due, often sizable, possibly framed as a

What Happens to Tax Basis When Property Moves Between Parents and Children Under Prop 19

For decades in California, family property transfers followed a certain logic. A home passed from parent to child, ownership changed, but the tax history often stayed intact. Basis was preserved. Property taxes remained low. The system rewarded continuity. Prop 19 disrupted that almost overnight. Wh