Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
Financial Planning Tips for the Sandwich Generation with Sherry Finkel Murphy
Once Removed Episode 38: The Legacy Mindset: What It Is and How to Build It
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
The Case of the Laughing Heirs
The Secret Child
Welcome to 'Splitting Heirs'
Ruder Ware's Elder Law Team Recognizes National Special Needs Law Month - Part 2
Law Brief: Alexis Gruttadauria and Rich Schoenstein Discuss Why You Need an Estate Plan
Inheritance Data - Digital Planning Podcast
Welcome to The Verdict: Estate Planning Through Film. I'm Hons Yung, and today I’m joined by Farella Senior Associate Taylor Porter to discuss the movie Mamma Mia! With ABBA's blend of pop, rock, and disco setting the tone,...more
In the recent case of Mills v. O’Connor, 2025 BCCA 34, the BC Court of Appeal offered some fresh insight on the relatively new and unsettled area of tracing property under the Family Law Act (the FLA). Under the FLA, the...more
Dividing assets in a divorce is often a complicated and emotional process, and when inheritance is involved, the stakes can be even higher. In South Carolina, inherited property is generally considered separate from marital...more
Managing personal finances is stressful, and many people are glad to let their spouse take the lead on paying bills, filing taxes, managing investments and the like. However, when preparing for divorce, you should have a good...more
Axios published an article this week about what it terms the “growing acceptance” of prenuptial agreements. The sum of the article is based on a Harris poll reporting that 50% of those interviewed support the idea of couples...more
I received a call recently from a colleague looking to refer a client for a divorce. Our firm had done estate planning for the client and spouse, thus we were not eligible to represent either party in a marital break up as...more
The introduction of a new personal status law for the non-Muslims is a landmark decision on part of the UAE government. To be enforced from February 1st, 2023, the Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status...more
First, foremost, the case decided on October 12, 2022 is non-precedential, leaving the bench and bar to debate whether it matters.* But, the decision in Nally v. Nally, 163 EDA 2022 is going to make the real estate community...more
Margot and Tony Wendice seem to have it all – they are young, beautiful, and in love. However, much like pyrite, not everything that glitters is gold. Before their marriage, Tony was a successful tennis player. It...more
In recent years there has been an evolving literature devoted to income and wealth disparities between the “top tier” of Americans and what is often termed “the rest of us.” The data seem fairly clear. Whether this disparity...more
As an attorney who prepares comprehensive estate plans and administers wills and trusts after death, I see questions arise at all phases as to who beneficiaries of accounts are and who they should be in a comprehensive estate...more
Some of the most interesting estate litigation issues arise in proceedings to determine a surviving spouse’s entitlement to an elective share, particularly when there are claims of abandonment. Under EPTL § 5-1.1-A(a), “a...more
The saying that “the beaten road is the safest” is typically associated with advice not to take unnecessary risks and to play things safe. In the law, the notion rings true for courts and their adherence to established...more
When you're planning a wedding, discussing a prenuptial agreement with your soon-to-be spouse may not seem exciting or may even feel uncomfortable. Yet, no one knows what the future holds, and a prenuptial agreement can...more
So you’ve received an inheritance and you’re married. The person who left you the inheritance probably intended for it to benefit you, not your spouse, if you get divorced. How do you protect the inheritance?...more
Many individuals wonder whether it matters how property is titled in a divorce. In other words, some theorize that if an asset is in their individual name, it might mean that they will receive this asset in a divorce. It...more
The presents are unwrapped, and gifts exchanged. But that gift with your name on it, or that new vehicle in the driveway with a big bow on top, is it really yours? Or, in the event of a divorce or legal separation, is it...more
YES! If you don’t have a prenuptial agreement the California Family Code applies. You might as well familiarize yourself with California law and decide whether you want to opt out via a prenuptial agreement....more
On September 15, 2019, Ric Ocasek, singer, songwriter, and guitarist of The Cars, died in his Manhattan residence. He was found that morning by his wife, Paulina Porizkova, a supermodel and celebrity in her own right, as she...more
It is not uncommon for divorce to bring out the very worst in people, especially when a soon-to-be ex-spouse is used to being the one in control of the relationship. The contentious tug of war can even result in threats to an...more
It is widely understood in California that inherited assets, unlike assets earned from labor, are the separate property of the receiving spouse. But what if the assets do not come directly from a parent and instead pass from...more
An issues that frequently arises is the treatment of an inheritance received by a spouse during the marriage. The basic rule is that any property received via gift or inheritance during the marriage is exempt from equitable...more
In the summer of the fiftieth anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the LGBT* community have a lot to celebrate. In the last 15 years, there have been significant changes for same-sex couples in England and Wales. In 2004 the...more
Inheritance is an event that eventually happens in the life of many. When a family member becomes deceased, or even a close friend, an individual may inherit a piece of their deceased family member’s or friend’s estate....more
Divorce and remarriage are common in the United States, and most legal professionals place these issues squarely within the family law realm. However, people who remarry should also carefully revisit their estate plan...more