Couples with young children typically set up revocable trusts with their children’s well being as the top priority. Most trusts plan for the potential scenario where both parents are gone, but at least one child or grandchild remains. A well crafted trust will also specify...Read More
The Conservatorship of celebrity Amanda Bynes has been in and out of the California probate courts since 2013. Recently, Bynes’ Conservatorship of the Person was extended, while the Conservatorship of the Estate was terminated. Here’s a brief synopsis of how her Conservatorship has played out,...Read More
Vanity Fair recently published a new article, “It is Not a Coincidence: With 75 million on the line, the Redstone Family declares Sumner incompetent.” If you’re unfamiliar, Sumner Redstone is the Hollywood Mogul billionaire at the helm of a media empire that includes CBS and...Read More
Unlike famous singers Aretha Franklin and Prince, who died without a will or trust, rapper Mac Miller planned ahead for his demise. And he did this at the tender age of 21 – perhaps foreseeing his death at just 26 years of age on September...Read More
As you likely already know, the great Aretha Franklin, known as the Queen of Soul, passed away on August 16th, 2018 at her home in Detroit, Michigan. Her greatest hits – “Respect”, “A Natural Woman”, “Chain of Fools”, defined her as a modern woman and...Read More
The children of Buzz Aldrin, former astronaut, are trying to obtain guardianship over him in a Florida court – and he’s fighting back. According to the Wall Street Journal, Andrew and Janice Aldrin say their father is in “cognitive decline” and a guardianship is necessary....Read More
A favorite gimmick of estate planning articles today are based on numbers – “8 things to protect your assets,” “10 Steps to write your will“, “6 Reasons to update your Trust,” etc. My favorite read is “17 Reasons to Update your Will” – thank you...Read More
The Hollywood Reporter notes that despite Jurassic World’s box office success, the newest installment “has trouble finding something to say beyond what ‘Jurassic Park’ already did 25 years ago.” I beg to differ. Jurassic World highlights some important estate planning issues in a fun filled,...Read More
An officer or employee of a financial institution who suspects financial abuse of an elder or dependent adult is a mandated reporter under the law. A mandated reporter is a person, who as a result of his or her profession, in this case banking, is...Read More
David Cassidy, known as Keith Partridge in the popular show The Partridge Family and a teen heartthrob in the 1970s, died of organ failure in Fort Lauderdale on November 21, 2017 at the age of 67. He had been hospitalized with liver and kidney failure...Read More
The New York Times just published a question and answer in its “Social Q’s” section regarding the legal validity of an unsigned Will. Another recent article referenced a Will written in a draft text message. Naturally the text also remained unsigned. The text message was...Read More
Famed Playboy (Owner) and Celebrity Hugh Hefner passed away on September 27th at the age of 91. With an estimated net worth of $50 million at the time of his death, a young wife, multiple ex-wives and ex-girlfriends, and four children to boot, who will end...Read More
Chapter Two continues the unhappy saga of the troubles of Tom Clancy’s estate. The main players in this drama are the two wives of Tom Clancy; his first wife, Wanda King, who was married to him for 30 years, and his second wife and widow,...Read More
What is a no-contest clause and why is it added to a will or trust? In Latin it is known as an “in terrorem” clause, which means that the clause is inserted as a threat or warning to those beneficiaries of a will or trust...Read More
Does the word “estate” in estate planning make you turn a deaf ear to the whole concept of financial planning? Maybe you feel like “estate” planning doesn’t apply to you because your home doesn’t look like an estate, and your bank account is rather ordinary....Read More
After nearly a year in litigation, former Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson’s wife filed papers relinquishing all money and personal property left to her in her husband’s estate. Just who is Ken Thompson, and what went wrong after his death last October? Attorney Ken Thompson was...Read More
Conservatorship (called Guardianship for minors) becomes necessary in a variety of circumstances, most commonly due to a lack of mental capacity. When a Conservatorship is needed, someone must step in to fulfill the role of Conservator. A Conservator is charged with the (often difficult) task...Read More
If your spouse passed away in California without a Trust, you may think you’ll need to go through probate. However, in many cases, the surviving spouse does not need to probate the estate of their loved one to gain access to his or her assets....Read More
When a person dies who does not have a will the probate court must manage his or her estate. Without making a will the person is said to have died “intestate”. Simply put, the court, according to the laws of each particular state, decides who...Read More
