Are Large Inheritances Damaging to the Next Generation? Some Celebrities Think So  

Some high net worth individuals, including some celebrities, are increasingly worried about how much of their fortunes, if any, to give to their kids.  A couple years ago, CNN host Anderson Cooper announced that his son, Wyatt, … [Read more...]

My Mom Had a Will, But It Was Useless

Q. I always had a good relationship with my mother. We would have lots of open conversations and talk about almost everything! If she ever got sick or traveled overseas, she would remind me that she had a will, and I of course … [Read more...]

Estate Planning for Your Valuable Collections

Collections of memorabilia, no matter what they are, are often important to their owners and sometimes very valuable. Whether it is paintings, classic cars, antiques, coins, stamps, sports memorabilia, rugs, books, or rare … [Read more...]

Why Are So Many Young People Having Strokes?

Stroke prevention efforts are most often focused on older adults. That’s because 60% of strokes happen in adults 65 years and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many don’t realize that strokes are … [Read more...]

Is a Family Caregiver Entitled to Compensation from an Estate for Their Caregiving Services?

Q. I am the trustee of my parents’ trust. They have now both passed away. My brother helped perform minimal long-distance caregiving for them over the last five years, and he spent about a year and a half toward the end as a … [Read more...]

Problems with Beneficiary Designations

Q. Last week, you wrote about why inheritance sometimes goes unclaimed, and how it’s a lot less likely when you have a trust in place. I read something about the downsides of beneficiary designations naming individuals and how … [Read more...]

There’s $100 Billion of Unclaimed Property — How to Claim Your Share

Q. I read somewhere that there is over $100 billion of unclaimed property. How is this possible? How is it that so much property goes unclaimed? Is there a way that I can check to see if any of that belongs to me? And how can I … [Read more...]

Are There Universal Rules for Trusts in U.S. States?

Q. Last week, in your article about Power of Attorney documents, you discussed the Uniform Power of Attorney Act, a law that was created to give universal rules for POAs across the states that have adopted it. Is there a similar … [Read more...]

This Harry Potter Publisher Blindsided His Family When He Left Them Nothing

Maurice Richard Robinson, Jr., died suddenly on June 5, 2021, while on a walk in Martha’s Vineyard. From 1975 until his recent death, Robinson was the chief executive officer of Scholastic Corporation, a publishing company founded … [Read more...]

Will U.S. Estate Planning Documents Work in Other Countries?

Q. My parents and my husband and I are all considering relocating to Lake Chapala in Mexico, which is a very popular retirement location for Americans because of the low cost of living, sunshine, accessibility, established expat … [Read more...]

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