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
Most of us will never need to know the ins and outs of the Criminal Court System, the Civil Court system, and maybe not even the family law system. But almost all of us will encounter Probate Law. Why? Because at some point, someone in...Read More
The simple answer: After you die. From a financial perspective, it is generally advantageous to gift property upon your death. However, when making a decision about how best to leave real property to your children there are several important factors to consider. If you plan...Read More
Caregivers cannot accept gifts from elders without being at risk for committing financial elder abuse. If an older adult chooses to gift an estate or substantial sum of money to their caregiver, California Probate Code requires that the drafter (usually the lawyer) obtain a Certificate of...Read More
Elder abuse is a far more common occurrence than most people think. According to the National Council on Aging, 1 in 10 Americans aged 60+ have experienced elder abuse. Elder abuse can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and deprivation. Elder financial abuse, which...Read More
The timeline for completing the trust administration process varies widely depending upon the circumstances of the case. Administering a trust of a married couple when one spouse passes away, for example, can be completed in a few short months. Settlement of a large trust with...Read More
A good friend recently brought to my attention the story of the “Tractor Will.” In 1948, a man in Saskatchewan carved out his will in the fender of a tractor using a pocket knife. According to witnesses, Cecil George Harris was trapped underneath his tractor...Read More
While we always consider what will happen to our children when we are no longer there to care for them, our pets are potentially left just as vulnerable when we die. Currently, under California law your dog or cat is viewed no differently than your...Read More
Once you’ve executed a Power of Attorney, can you change it? The answer is YES. If you change your mind about the person you chose to make decisions for you under a durable power of attorney, you can change it. In order to make changes...Read More
What function can life insurance serve as part of your estate plan? Prior to the big changes in estate tax laws, life insurance was commonly put into place to pay estate taxes. No longer necessary, as estates can exempt $5.45 million for each individual...Read More
1. If you already have an Estate Plan, Get a New One In most cases, getting a divorce will essentially invalidate your Trust or Will if you have one. However, it should be noted that your former Will or Trust will only be invalid once...Read More
