pen and paper

John Sheridan, Cooper Health System’s CEO, and his wife were declared dead Sept. 28 after they were found unresponsive in their master bedroom in Montgomery Township’s Skillman section. No will for the Sheridans has been located. The family has not filed a detailed list of assets such as real estate, cash, and stocks and bonds. […]

paper bills and coins

A New York City landlord told his siblings, on his deathbed, that he hid $4.5m worth of silver bullion and gold krugerrands – but no one knew where. The confession sent a family into years of litigation and a costly treasure hunt, one still unresolved today. What would you do your dying family member claimed to have […]

Senior Couple on Computer

Search for the late actor and comedian Robin Williams on Facebook and you’ll quickly come to an invitation to “connect” to him. That could be difficult, to say the least. The much-beloved Academy Award winner departed this earthly realm four months ago. His page is now set up to receive tributes from his considerable fan […]

Children Holding Hands on School Playground

When Apple and Facebook made news recently for paying the expenses of their female employees to freeze their eggs, chances are you didn’t think it would have any effect on your estate plan. But if you have a daughter or a granddaughter, you may be mistaken. Modern medicine is definitely a game-changer in the estate planning […]

question mark

No one — not Florida investigators, court officials, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections or the FBI — ever notified the surviving relatives of Cydzik’s victim in the Brookfield fatal robbery. Only this year — by chance and Facebook postings — did they finally discover whatever became of Cydzik. Now, they’re looking for some belated closure […]

man planting money

Legion of Christ is a Catholic holy order whose founder was found to have molested seminarians and fathered children. A wealthy Rhode Island woman left her entire $60 million estate to the order. Now, the Rhode Island Supreme Court will decide if that woman’s niece can sue the order. While it is not unusual for […]

colorful art

People often fight over trusts for a wide variety of reasons. One of the most frequent conflicts over trusts occurs when the trustee and the beneficiaries do not see eye to eye. The person who creates a trust is always the beneficiary of the trust, especially after he or she dies. Yet, it is usually […]

Studying college students

Much of the talk about estate planning is often centered around married couples with children. This leads some single people to think that estate plans are not necessary for them. However, estate planning can be even more important for singles than married people. If a married person dies without an estate plan, by law most […]

Two Young Women in Front of the Computer Talking

People in their 20s often do not think that they need to worry about estate planning. They plan to live much longer, so they believe there will be time to get an estate plan later. However, you never know when tragedy can strike, so it is important that 20-somethings get estate plans. Younger adults normally […]

paper bills and coins

Important lessons about estate planning can often reach the general public through issues over celebrities’ estates. 2014 has been a busy year for such lessons. Americans are fascinated by the lives and deaths of celebrities. When a celebrity passes away, the public wants to know how his or her estate will be distributed. Oftentimes the […]