3 Simple Mistakes That Can Derail Your Estate Plan
10 Common Estate Planning Mistakes Your Family Can’t Afford to Make—Part 2
10 Common Estate Planning Mistakes Your Family Can’t Afford to Make—Part 1
A Not-So-Happy Accident: Bob Ross’s Estate Planning Failures —Part 2
A Not-So-Happy Accident: Bob Ross’s Estate Planning Failures —Part 1
Estate Planning Must-Haves For Single Parents
Estate Planning 101: Wills vs. Trusts
Legendary Rapper DMX Dies With No Will, Millions in Debt, and 15 Children—Part 2
Legendary Rapper DMX Dies With No Will, Millions in Debt, and 15 Children—Part 1
Don’t Forget To Protect Your Furry Family: Estate Planning For Your Pets
Estate Planning Mistakes
How You Can Avoid Being Taken Advantage of Once You Become Elderly
A 2010 study conducted by the Investor Protection Trust found that more than seven million older Americans — 20 percent of those over the age of 65 — had already been a victim of financial abuse. Here are some tips…
How to Fund Your Trust to Avoid Probate
A common estate planning mistake many people make – including celebrities like Michael Jackson – is not ensuring the trust you have created holds all your assets. Unfortunately, most lawyers simply do not make sure this is properly handled for…
5 Things You Need to Know Before You Name Beneficiaries
Once you have chosen the people you want to receive any of your assets — either from a will, a trust, a life insurance policy or a retirement or bank account — the way you designate how they will inherit…
Unintended Consequences from the Case of the Missing Will
Even the best intentions can have unintended consequences when it comes to estate planning. A case now winding its way through the New York appellate court system provides a cautionary tale when it comes to the safekeeping of your estate…
Asset Protection: When a Will Won’t Work
One of the most prevalent misconceptions when it comes to estate planning is that if you have a will, it will take care of everything that needs to happen after you die in terms of your assets. But before you…
Robin Williams’ Family Fight Over Personal Property Not So Funny
Robin Williams’ wife Susan has gone to court over personal items she says were taken from the couple’s Tiburon, California, home without her permission. Williams’ children say their father set up a trust that bequeathed the items to them and…
No One Feeling Good About Continuing Battle Over James Brown Estate
James Brown was known for his signature song, “I Feel Good,” but no one is feeling good about the battle that is still being waged over his estate almost a decade after his death in 2006. The majority of Brown’s…
“And the Estate Planning Oscar Goes To…” Lessons on Film About Family
The film “Black Heirlooms” has not received any Oscar nominations. It was made by 32-year-old Amanda Brown, whose grandmother’s long-term illness ripped her once close-knit family apart for lack of long-term care planning. Profiled recently in the New York Times,…
Life Lessons From Celebrity Deaths on Updating Your Estate Plan
A new year always brings the sad reviews of notable personalities who have died in the past year. Two notable movie stars – Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Walker – provide a cautionary tale on the importance of keeping your…
Hollywood Legend Lauren Bacall Leaves Large Estate and Two Potentially Large Headaches for Heirs
Legendary Hollywood actress Lauren Bacall died on August 12, 2014, leaving behind an estate estimated at $26.6 million and three children who face a couple of potentially serious problems that could have been avoided through effective estate planning. Bacall, who…
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