You just landed your first “real” job and are looking forward to the exciting opportunities ahead. Your new job is accompanied by a 401k and opening a savings account. You have a car and you are thinking about buying your...more
Dying without a valid will in place is never a good idea. In the absence of your testamentary intent your assets are left to the whims of the current intestacy laws of the state in which you reside. In Maryland, those laws...more
The untimely death of rapper Takeoff, a member of the Grammy-nominated hip-hop trio Migos—also consisting of rappers Quavo and Offset—left fans, family, and the music industry in shock. Born Kirshnik Khari Ball, Takeoff’s...more
In In re Est. of Hartwell, a trial court granted summary judgment that the applicant to probate a will was not entitled to do so due to the statute of limitations. No. 06-23-00054-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 166 (Tex....more
On Tuesday, in Lehmann v. WFV Holdings, LLC, Record No. 0201-23-2 (Ct. App. Va. May 14, 2024), available here, the Court of Appeals of Virginia reversed a decision from the Circuit Court of Amelia County, holding that because...more
Choosing between a will and a living trust in Washington state can be confusing for various reasons. You may feel that you don’t know which estate planning tool will help you manage your financial portfolio or complex assets....more
As estate planning attorneys, a question that often arises with new and prospective clients is, “What happens if I die without a will?” The short answer is this: if you die without a valid will in Massachusetts, state law...more
In Estate of Long, the plaintiff sued trustees and alleged that she was the only child of the decedent and asserted a cause of action for a will contest and a cause of action for a declaratory judgment action in which she...more
New amendments to the Israeli Succession Law came into effect recently. These amendments aim to alleviate the bureaucratic burden involved both in issuing probate orders or inheritance orders and in supervising estate...more
You may have heard of the Battle of the Bands, but have you ever heard of the Battle of the Wills? Aretha Franklin died in 2018, but the legal battle over her estate continues today in the Michigan Probate Courts....more
Who’s your father for inheritance purposes in California? Family Code section 7540(a) states that “the child of spouses who cohabited at the time of conception and birth is conclusively presumed to be a child of the...more
In In the Estate of Maberry, the alleged common-law wife of an intestate decedent did not have standing to seek to remove the decedent’s daughter as independent administrator because she was not an “interested person”...more
Many people are fearful of contemplating their own deaths. However, failure to plan or consider what should happen to your assets at death may be very harmful to your family. If you fail to plan and die without a will, the...more
The COVID-19 pandemic has focused us all on necessities and on trying to prepare for an uncertain future. This article outlines why an estate plan is one of those necessities. I Don’t Have an Estate Plan; What Would Happen...more
In Hill et al. v. Myers et al., C.A. No. 2018-0160 (Del. Ch. June 15, 2020), Master in Chancery Selena Molina (“Master”) issued a final report, recommending the Court of Chancery deny defendant’s (decedent’s close friend and...more
You’ve heard the adage: Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Never is that more true than with estate planning. When you create an estate plan, you choose exactly who gets your assets, how they get them and in what manner...more
The 2020 cost of living adjustments of certain dollar amounts under the Colorado Probate Code has been published by the Colorado Department of Revenue. Probate practitioners should be aware of the change in figures related to...more
In In re Estate of Ethridge, a testatrix signed a will that provided that “all my personal effects” would be devised to her nephew in law and that her half interest in a home went to another person. No. 11-17-00291-CV, 2019...more
When Aretha Franklin died last year, it was believed that she died without a will and that her estate, estimated to be worth $80 million, would pass under Michigan’s intestacy laws. In May of this year, however, the personal...more
Legendary singer Aretha Franklin was thought to have died without a will, but the recent discovery of handwritten documents in her home is calling that into question. A representative of her estate has asked a Michigan...more
Today, one can do practically anything online that used to require face-to-face contact — and that includes downloading a form to write his or her will. This brief article discusses the downsides of a “do-it-yourself” will....more
Probate. The word itself is enough to strike fear into the hearts of elderly individuals and their loved ones. It conjures images of lengthy delays waiting for wealth to be transferred and bitter disputes among family...more
Despite what one might think, estate planning isn’t limited to only the rich and famous. Previously, avoiding or minimizing federal estate tax liability was a primary motivation for creating an estate plan. But with a...more
A Last Will and Testament directs your Executor how and to whom your assets are to be disposed. If you do not have a Will, assets in your name when you die will pass under New York State’s intestacy laws. However, only the...more
The music world was left mourning the death of another legend recently with the passing of the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. A woman with a voice full of power and emotion, her death leaves a musical landscape with few (if...more