Personal effects that ordinarily might be worth very little, can be extremely valuable if they have historical significance or were owned by a famous person. Estate battles over such items are not unusual as is the case with some of Martin Luther King’s personal items.
Read More »Estate Tax in China
Over 100 nations currently have an estate or inheritance tax of some form. China is not one of them, but that might change soon as the government is considering a decade old proposal that would institute an inheritance tax.
Read More »San Diego Attorney Ordered to Repay Trust
When someone radically changes her estate plan to favor someone else who was not mentioned in the original plan, charges of undue influence are common. However, proving undue influence can be difficult, which makes a recent case in San Diego interesting.
Read More »The Most Important Question Parents Should Consider When Estate Planning
When planning their estates there are many different questions that parents should ask. However, the most important question is one that many parents never consider.
Read More »Battle over the Estate of Superman Publisher’s Widow
Both Superman and Batman are known for their epic battles on comic book pages. The battle over the estate of the widow of one of the co-founders of DC Comics, which publishes the comics, is shaping up to be just as epic.
Read More »Should Your Power of Attorney Spring?
One of the more important decisions when drafting a power of attorney is when the document should become effective. It can be effective immediately or it can be made to be effective only when the principal becomes disabled. The latter is known as “springing.”
Read More »Taking your dog with you
For many people, dogs are more than just best friends. They are a valued member of the family. However, pets, unlike other family members, are legally property. This raises the question whether you can direct that your pets be put to sleep after you pass away.
Read More »Blowing An Inheritance
People often fear that leaving large sums of money to their relatives will result in those relatives blowing the money on things they do not need. A recent case in the United Kingdom demonstrates that this is not an unfounded fear. Euan MacAndrew, a 24-year-old, was left an inheritance by his grandfather that amounted […]
Read More »Reopening Jack Kerouac’s Estate
Author Jack Kerouac’s estate has long been settled after much acrimony. However, an important letter that he received from a friend could reopen the case. Jack Kerouac is credited with inventing the free-flowing beat style of writing that was popular in the 1950s and 60s. He did not create the style on his own […]
Read More »Estate Planning and 2014: Looking Back
Every year has new developments in estate planning. 2014 was no different in this regard. Some of the changes to estate planning in 2014 are very important to know about. With 2014 just behind us, now is a good time to look back and see what changed in estate planning during the year. After […]
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