“It seems fair to say, 11 years after James Brown's death, that his estate planning has failed in its major mission: to distribute his wealth efficiently.” James Brown's estate was to donate millions of dollars to underprivileged children in Georgia and South Carolina. But as The New York Time...

If you leave your IRA to your son and daughter equally - 50-50 - what happens when one of them dies? MarketWatch answered that question in its article, "Who gets your IRA when you die? It's not so simple." The answer to what happens to the IRA money, is dependent upon what the beneficiary desi...

“In all different cases — will contests, trust contests, life-estate challenges, probate objections, elder financial abuse, deed revocations or joint-tenancy quarrels — the interests and paths of stepmothers and stepchildren often collide.” It's not uncommon for conflicts to arise in estate ma...

“Make 2018 the year you take the steps to save money on insurance, reduce your taxes, boost your retirement savings and protect yourself from identity thieves.” Now is a great time to make some key financial moves that can help you throughout the year and make it easier to reach your goals. He...

“Audrey Hepburn's will has been revealed for the first time in her son's battle against her children's charity over the Hollywood star's name and likeness.” Sean Hepburn Ferrer sued the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund last fall for infringing trademark and other rights belonging to him and Luca...

“No matter your age or socioeconomic status, estate planning is something you need to consider.” Estate planning isn't just about leaving assets to heirs. A recent twincities.com article, titled "Your Money: Medical power of attorney: the missing piece of too many estate plans," asks the reade...

"The day you open for business is not a minute too soon to think about your long-term exit strategy–a written plan, including provisions for increasing the value of your business at least five to 10 years ahead of your exit date.” As a by-product of succession planning, you get a template for ...

“Upon my death, I really don't care what happens or who gets my money.” A single man in his mid-40s with no real family may not understand why it's important for him to do some estate planning. Hometown Life, in its recent article, “Estate planning not just important in death,” noted that he ...

“The phrase 'legacy planning' is becoming increasingly used in place of, or to supplement, estate planning.” Unfortunately, legal terms and financial terms can be confusing. The term “legacy” has a specific technical definition—a gift or bequest made under a last will and testament. This creat...

“What taxes will be owed if you gift money to family?” Questions often come up when gifting to children. What are the consequences to the giver and to the recipient? An article from nj.com, “Gift tax consequences for you and your heirs,” begins with the big picture, then looks at the annual gi...

“You can't give your required minimum distribution from a 401(k) to charity without triggering a tax, but you can donate your 401(k) RMD tax-free, if you roll the money over to an IRA.” Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are minimum amounts that a retirement plan account owner is required t...

“If your senior parents don't want to talk about money, here are some tips to start the conversation.” If your mother is a widow and she lives alone, you may notice that she's beginning to have difficulty getting around and refuses to have help in the house. nj.com's recent article, “When you...

“There are more aspects to estate planning than just signing a will.” The (Beckley WV) Register-Herald's recent article, “Important Medical and Financial Choices,” notes that along with a will, there are medical, financial, and other important decisions that come into play in estate planning. ...

“Having no heirs or surviving spouse, can make estate-planning decisions more difficult.” Some people have a somewhat unique estate planning challenge: they're childless and not sure what should happen to the assets they leave behind or whom to appoint as their proxy decision-maker. CNBC's re...

“Estate planning challenges include mastering financial markets, tax laws and other arcane technicalities.” The psychological issues in deciding how to leave your assets can be the hardest part of the process, says Wilmington Biz in the recent article, “Keep Mental Hang-Ups From Sabotaging Est...

“As the auction hammer fell at Sotheby's in New York last week, a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat fetched a record $110.5 million. Now, another hammer will come down: the tax man's.” Lise Wilks, the seller of the Basquiat, will have a sizeable capital gain—about $85 million. That means she ma...

“Now that the heirs are stepping up and Prince's distinctive shadow is receding, everyone sitting around the table wants to run the legacy like a business.” The probate nightmare Prince created by not having a will has ended. The musician's relatives have moved from defending their position,...

“Save early and often. The sooner you start to save, the easier it will be to amass a comfortable nest egg -- thanks to the power of time and the magic of compounding” For the 70th-anniversary issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Kiplinger outlined its best advice to show you how to build, p...

“Five months after actor Alan Thicke died, he's the subject of what's shaping up to be a bitter family feud over the remainder of his estate.” Alan Thicke's two eldest sons, Brennan and Robin, filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court over claims that their father's widow is disput...

“Many people don't see the importance of estate planning, until they have been forced to deal with the adverse effects of not being prepared for death or disability.” Some parents will engage their kids in disability and estate planning, with some viewing it a way to share the work and bring o...

Las Vegas, NV “Onetime child star Britney Spears' five dogs live better than a lot of human families—and should anything happen to her, their golden meal ticket would get mighty precarious.” Trust Advisor notes that pet trusts for the rich are becoming extremely popular. Pets are expanding th...

“This case arose out of a will contest between the wife and son of deceased musician Ray Price.” Price's widow filed an interlocutory appeal alleging that the trial court erred in appointing a receiver to take possession of property subject to the will contests, according to a recent write-up ...

“Music icon Jerry Lee Lewis is suing his daughter and son-in-law for elder abuse, after spending years trapped in a moldy house. The details are horrifying!” The 81-year-old music legend and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, Jerry Lee Lewis, recently filed court documents against his daug...

“Hundreds of Elvis Presley artifacts and memorabilia are still being held by a Las Vegas casino, a year after the King's estate filed a lawsuit to get those valuables back from a short-lived exhibit.” The Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino's chief operating officer Mark Waltrip said that Elv...

“Naming a guardian for your children is one of the hardest, and most important, decisions you will ever make.” If you're having a tough time deciding who to name as guardians for your kids, you're not alone. Should you go with a close family member or someone who's better with money? Typically...