Michael Jackson’s Estate Sued … Again

It has become an inevitability that just when you think the controversy surrounding Michael Jackson’s estate has finally quieted, yet another issue appears in the news. This time it is another lawsuit filed over alleged wrongdoing of the estate’s administrators.

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An Odd and Bitter UK Estate Battle

An estate battle in the United Kingdom pits four large charities against the son of a 95-year-old Alzheimer’s patient whom the charities accuse of fraudulently creating a new will for another woman.

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Single Estate Planning

People who have never been married often face more difficult estate planning decisions than people with families.   For married people, the basics of who gets what after they pass away is usually fairly obvious. Most married people want the bulk of their estates to go to their spouses, children and grandchildren.

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Declaring Lord Lucan Completely Dead

In the United Kingdom Lord Lucan was officially declared dead by High Court order in 1999. However, that does not mean that he is considered legally dead for all purposes.  In 1974 a nanny in the employ of the 7th Earl of Lucan was found murdered at the Earl’s home. His wife was found severely […]

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Leaving an Intellectual Inheritance

Most people who amass wealth do not do it so that their heirs can squander it. However, that is what happens in most cases. One way to help prevent this from happening to your wealth is to leave your family with an intellectual inheritance.

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What Did the Scaife Trustees Know?

The contentious battle over the trust of the late Richard Mellon Scaife has taken an interesting turn as new court filings make it appear that at least one of the three trustees may have suspected the trust was being mismanaged. Richard Mellon Scaife’s mother created a multi-million dollar trust for his benefit. When he passed […]

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How Probate Can Get Expensive

There are many reasons to want to avoid probate for your estate. One of them is that probate can get very expensive. One doctor’s bill in a case in New Hampshire illustrates just how expensive. The story of Geraldine Webber’s estate has been followed closely on estate planning blogs.

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One More Scary Halloween Story!

A Halloween riddle for you: What’s scarier than ghosts and goblins to Americans 50 and older? Answer: Their finances.   That’s the upshot of the latest Country Financial Security Index, and two other surveys I’ve seen lately back it up. In fact, there’s a strong case to be made that many boomers have grown truly […]

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What Do The Uber-Wealthy Do with Their Money?

Art makes up 2.5 percent of the biggest estates and just 0.6 percent of those who had between $10 million and $20 million. A Picasso fetched more than $95 million in 2006. The super rich are different from the very, very rich.

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