The Case of the Laughing Heirs
The Secret Child
Welcome to 'Splitting Heirs'
To Give or Not to Give: Considerations for Year-End Gifting
The United States is on the brink of the largest transition of wealth in its history, known as the “Great Wealth Transfer.” By 2045, an estimated $84 trillion in assets will be transferred from baby-boomers to their heirs. In...more
Before shifting my practice from estate planning to estate litigation, I witnessed up close the challenges and frustrations associated with the California probate process. That has changed for many Californians. Assembly Bill...more
Patch LLC et al v. Indio Minerals LLC et al was a dispute over title to a 1/8th NPRI in land in Midland County. Viola Ash, an Illinois resident, executed a warranty deed in 1932 for land in Midland County, reserving a 1/8...more
A five-year legal dispute between heirs of the renowned artist Thomas Hart Benton and the trust department that administered and managed the Benton Trust produced a significant ruling last month in Jackson County, Missouri...more
Nicolas Puech, a lesser-known heir of the Hermès luxury brand, has taken an unusual approach to his estate plan by deciding to leave his fortune to his former gardener. Puech, who has long been known for his philanthropic...more
The Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (the Heirs Act) was originally enacted in New York in December 2019 to protect heirs of real property from being forced to sell their property at auction. The Act was most recently...more
With the looming elections, tax planners have taken time to consider what the future of Estate and Gift Tax planning might be under the new Congress. Every new Congress considers changes to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,...more
On this episode of “Splitting Heirs,” partner Warren K. Racusin, Chair of Lowenstein’s Trusts & Estates practice, invites Beth Shapiro Kaufman, Lowenstein Sandler partner and National Chair of the Private Client Services...more
Carson et al v. Winter Gordon, Junior is a reason you should not name your son after yourself. But if you insist, at least spell his name correctly. ...more
Irrevocable trusts can be effective for estate planning, but they can also create problems. This blog post will draw lessons from the case of Rupert Murdoch, the billionaire owner of Fox News and News Corporation, who is...more
Many small business owners mistakenly believe business succession planning and estate planning is for those with substantial wealth. This is simply a myth which does not reflect the nature of business or home ownership....more
Are you considering remarriage? Do you and/or your spouse have children from a previous marriage? If so, remarriage and a blended family are excellent reasons for a new or updated estate plan. Blended families are quickly...more
In Ruiz Mattei v. Commercial Equipment Finance, Inc., the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico determined that claims under the Unjustified Dismissal Act and the Workplace Discrimination Act are transferable to the employee’s heirs...more
In the first 10 minutes of Netflix’s The Gentleman, the grieving heirs of Archibald Horniman are shocked when it is revealed that he has left his sizeable estate almost entirely to his second-born son, to the exclusion of his...more
Governor Jeff Landry has signed into law a bill that significantly limits the situations in which a plaintiff can name and assert a direct action against a defendant’s insurer under Louisiana law. The new law becomes...more
The farmland of North Carolina cradles not only agricultural abundance but also a significant legal challenge: heirs property (also commonly known as "heirs' property" or "heir property"). This designation arises when land...more
If you are in the process of long-term estate planning or updating an existing estate plan, the process for passing assets and accounts to your heirs is about to become much more difficult and expensive. Presently, each...more
Today on “Splitting Heirs,” host Warren Racusin speaks with Molefi McIntosh and Mavis Gragg about the “heirs’ property problem--” or what happens to real estate when it is passed down within families without benefit of a...more
In an opinion written in under 1,000 words, Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal put foreclosure cases across Florida in jeopardy in Desbrunes v. U.S. Bank National Association in February. Originally published in...more
Your carefully curated fine art collection is an important, and often emotionally charged part of your estate. If not specifically addressed in your will, or some other arrangement isn’t made, your important fine art falls...more
Do you employ an irrevocable trust or trusts as part of your estate plan? You need to review your irrevocable trust to ensure it still delivers the benefits intended. It is generally possible to modify an irrevocable trust,...more
A nation state can be trustee of a Jersey law express trust, even though it has state immunity against being sued for breach of trust or otherwise being held accountable for its trusteeship in domestic courts. The Royal Court...more
Understanding the significance of trustee notice, as mandated by Probate Code Section 16061.7, is crucial in trust administration. This notice is required upon the occurrence of certain events, most notably, when a trust...more
Do you need an asset protection strategy in San Diego, California? What is an “Asset Protection Strategy” and who should make sure to have an asset protection strategy in place?...more
What is the importance of succession planning for business owners? Why should you be concerned about the development and implementation of succession planning if you own a business or a significant interest in an LLC, S...more