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
For those of you who are fans – or at least avid listeners to the hit podcast “S-Town,” you may be left with a few questions: What happened to Mary Grace? Where is the gold??Did Cousin Rita have something to gain?What happened to all those dogs?...Read More
The trust battle between the Buss siblings over control of the L.A. Lakers has ended. Jeannie Buss and her brothers, Jim and Johnny, reached with an agreement for Jeannie to remain as controlling owner for as long as the family owns the famed basketball team....Read More
When patients are diagnosed with a chronic illness such as Alzheimer’s or dementia, they often feel a sense of hopelessness as their natural confidence is replaced with a feeling of losing control over their lives. They may feel helpless and alone, victims of their disease,...Read More
Reports indicate that the Administrator of Bobbi Kristina Brown’s massive estate abruptly quit amidst the heated family drama since Brown’s death. Bobbi Kristina Brown, daughter of Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, died after being in a coma for several months after a presumed drug overdose...Read More
For most families, setting up a trust to hold one’s property or bank accounts is a prudent step. But when your assets are in the hundreds of millions, setting up a trust (or trusts) is seldom simply an item on your to-do list – it’s...Read More
Embed from Getty Images Michael Jackson’s Mother claims Elder Abuse: What are her legal options? Michael Jackson’s 86 year old mother Katherine filed legal documents Wednesday claiming her former driver and nephew in law, Trent Jackson, had subjected her to years of...Read More
Updated 2/25/2021 When a parent dies who has had the forethought to establish a trust, the probate process can be avoided, which can be time-consuming and costly. Now, let’s assume that the parent/trustee has real property in California and has named a successor trustee...Read More
After years of pressure from patient advocate groups, a recent change in Medicare law will now allow primary care doctors to be reimbursed for Alzheimer’s testing, resulting in quicker diagnoses for elderly patients. Prior to this new rule physicians did not regularly test for dementia...Read More
When Prince died without leaving a will his estate became subject to the requirements of the probate court. One of the first things the probate court asks for is an inventory of one’s assets. The value of an estate has to be established, and this is...Read More
On a recent trip to visit family friends, I had the opportunity to hear the story of a dear friend’s older sister who had recently passed away. My friend was kind enough to allow me to share that story here. As I do not share...Read More
