» Estate Planning

Everything Is Not Always Bad for Estates

Most of the news that people hear or read about estate plans, trusts, wills and probate is negative. In reality most of the time outcomes are positive. Over the years, much has been said and written regarding the tendency of media to focus on negativ… Read More
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Redstone Case over for Now

The much watched legal battle over the competency of Sumner Redstone has reached a conclusion as a judge has dismissed the case. Sumner Redstone is the 92 year old who owns a controlling interest in both CBS and Viacom. For that reason, markets and t… Read More
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Unusual Funerals Trending

A man in the U.K. has unveiled his plans for his coffin. They illustrate the trend of people planning unusual ways for loved ones to remember them. In many places there is a tradition that when someone passes away his friends will have a drink in rem… Read More
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How Prince's Estate Will Fight Paternity Claims

Given the size of Prince's estate and the lack of a will it is expected that numerous paternity claims will be made against the estate.    The estate has a plan to handle the claims. When Prince passed away he apparently did not have a… Read More
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Prince Estate Moves Forward with Special Administrator

A Minnesota judge appointed a special administrator to oversee the estate of Prince. For now the musician's siblings and half-siblings all appear to be in agreement, but potential problems loom for the estate. In a short hearing on May 2, 2016,… Read More
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Attorney Indicted for Social Security Disability Fraud

A notorious attorney who called himself "Mr. Social Security" has been indicted for fraud. This is good news for families of children with special needs and for seniors. Kentucky attorney Eric Conn built one of the largest Social Security D… Read More
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Understanding Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is a frightening thing to think about getting for anyone. Understanding what we know about the disease can help lessen that fear, but one of the most important things to understand about Alzheimer's is what we still do n… Read More
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Frank Zappa's Family Argues over Music and Trust

In the first decade after the death of musician Frank Zappa his estate plan appeared to have worked smoothly. More recently, however, issues have arisen that have Zappa's children fighting between themselves. After Frank Zappa passed away in 199… Read More
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Happy Birthday to the Federal Estate Tax

The always controversial estate tax is now 100 years old. The debate over it has not changed much in those 100 years. In 1916, as the U.S. began to increase its military capacity in case the country got dragged into World War I, the federal governmen… Read More
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Court Declines to Resolve Medicaid Eligibility Issue

A federal court in South Dakota declared that a key Medicaid eligibility question was moot and declined to resolve it. Upon entering a nursing home South Dakota resident Howard Johnson applied for Medicaid to cover the costs of his care. His applicat… Read More
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