Category: Will
“I saw an alarming increase in the number of probate and trust litigation cases. It was just devastating families, and the attorneys’ fee were just consuming whatever estate was there,” said Sally Mulhern, whose office is at 155 Fleet St. “I didn’t want to see this trend continue. I wanted to do something to get […]
When the team’s owner died in March, crucial details of his wishes weren’t in a will, but in a trust agreement, which is not public information. Ever since Buffalo Bills founder Ralph Wilson, Jr. passed away, Bills fans have been unsure of their team’s future. Will the team stay in Buffalo? Unfortunately, Wilson never made […]
In a recent case out of Washington State, the Court of Appeals held that the state’s anti-lapse statute applies to constructive death of beneficiary. A recent Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog, titled “New Case: In re Estate of Evans,” reported on the Washington State Court of Appeals decision regarding the case of In re […]
When might a police commission get involved with estate litigation? When a new will created after a patient was diagnosed with dementia leaves nearly $3 million to a previously-unnamed beneficiary … who just happens to be a police sergeant. In 2009 Geraldine Webber made a will to divide her estate. This will left one-fourth of […]
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Lou Reed was the man who famously crooned, “Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side.” The late lead singer and guitarist of The Velvet Underground — and of course, a musician and songwriter with a successful, decades-long solo career — may have been a bit wild at […]
While the contemplation of your eventual demise is never at the top of anyone’s list, there is satisfaction from the feeling that you have taken care of issues and provided for those you love. But unwitting mistakes can wreck your careful planning and even lead to family fighting and estrangement of the very people you […]
Your will is an essential tool in making sure that your property goes to the people you want to receive it after your death. By keeping these simple facts in mind, you can use this tool more effectively and avoid the mistakes that can cause huge problems down the road. Think you know everything about […]
In some cases, outdated or inadequate estate plans have led to highly-publicized disputes between heirs that have squandered fortunes and diminished legacies. These situations are more tragic because they are usually entirely avoidable, especially when advisors are willing to facilitate difficult conversations. An estate plan is no “one and done” project. In fact, it’s very […]
All sorts of things can change over the course of our lives—and some of those changes may affect existing estate plans. Experts recommend that you review your estate plan every few years to confirm whether it needs updating. Things change over time. New tax laws, more grandchildren, an aging estate executor … the list goes […]
All too often, people go to great pains to write a will and put other estate-planning documents in place, only to have a court invalidate them. Are you sure your will can hold up in court? Review these three points to make sure your will is ironclad in the eyes of a judge. You Must […]
