Archive for January 2017
Can a Broken Heart Cause Death?
The passing of Debbie Reynolds one day after her daughter’s death leads to more speculation on the impact of a broken heart. It can actually happen, according to FOX News in “Debbie Reynolds’ death: Can you die of a broken heart?” Broken Heart Syndrome does exist. The death of Debbie Reynolds, only one day after…
Read MoreWills are Suddenly Important in China
An ongoing crisis with wills and estate plans plagues China. A particularly difficult estate planning issue in China was reported recently by USA Today in “Chinese don’t have wills — and now it’s a big problem.” Not too long ago, the Communist Party in China had strict rules about the accumulation of wealth and passing…
Read MoreScams Can Get You a Worthless Estate Plan
When considering an estate plan, it is usually wiser to deal with an estate planning attorney. My San Antonio recently published the article “‘Trust mill’ scam hits elderly hard” explaining why the elderly need to be on the lookout for scams. According to the article, a reader wrote in to ask questions about an estate…
Read MoreTrump Could Face Early Test with Estate Tax
U.S. remains equally divided on estate tax issue. What President-elect Trump and the Republican majority do about the estate tax, could indicate what sort of leader Trump plans to be, according to Bloomberg in “Estate Tax Repeal Would Be a Bonanza for Trump and His Cabinet.” If people are asked whether they favor a tax…
Read MoreFederal Court May Be the Answer When Suing a Trust
Because of potential prejudice by state courts in a suit against a trust, it may be beneficial to head to federal court. If a plaintiff is from out of state, it is sometimes wiser to sue an estate plan in federal court, according to the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog in “Trustee Citizenship Regulates…
Read MoreMoney May Not Be the Root of Family Estate Dispute
If one watches an estate dispute among wealthy families in the media, they sometimes find out that it isn’t just about the dollars. Traditionally feuds are over wealth, crown or other inheritances and are considered to be about money. Generally speaking something deeper is going on, according to Psych Central in “Death, Wealth, and the…
Read MoreInvestment Accounts Belong in Your Trust
When it comes to investment accounts, the answer is usually pretty simple. They belong in your trust. Investment accounts are the one class of assets that should almost always go into your trust, according to The Herald Bulletin in “If you have a trust, that’s where your investments should go.” When an experienced estate planning…
Read MoreSo, Just What Is Estate Planning?
There can be confusion on the definition and need for an estate plan. We will all have estates someday, so it may be helpful to know what a plan actually does. While estate planning can be complicated to the layman, there are some basics that make it less confusing, according to the Vail Daily in…
Read MoreTreatment from Store Employees May Have Led to Death
Woman charges her husband died as a result of humiliating treatment from employees of Walgreens store in Florida. Maria Elizarraras, the widow of an elderly man, charges that her husband died after rude treatment from employees of an Orlando (FL) Walgreens, when they stopped him from leaving the store and made him return to the…
Read MoreBeneficiary Designations May Need Review
Knowing when to change beneficiaries is an important part of estate planning. Your job isn’t necessarily over once you create an estate plan. This is because changes in your life should spark a fresh look at the plan. Knowing the appropriate times to do that is important, according to the Aiken Standard in “On the…
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