John Wick - What You Need To Know about the Corporate Transparency Act
Once Removed Episode 24: Expressing Goals and Intent for the Trust
Once Removed Episode 22: Building Flexibility into the Estate Plan
Once Removed Episode 20: Helping a Beneficiary Purchase a Home
Once Removed Episode 19: The Step-Transaction Doctrine and the Case of Smaldino
Next Generation Legacy Management - The Essence of Developing, Managing and Implementing a Plan for Future Generations
A Primer On Trusts - A Podcast with Janathan Allen
Once Removed Episode 13: It’s 5 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Will Is? A Lesson From Aretha Franklin
Charitable Bequests With Guest Stephanie Hood
Once Removed Episode 12: SLATs and the Case of McKim vs. McKim
Once Removed Episode 11: Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts, or SLATs
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: Family Office Technology Solutions
Digital Planning Podcast Episode: The Uniform Electronic Estate Planning Documents Act
What is a self-proving affidavit?
The Importance of Beneficiary Designations
Basics of Estate Planning
The Case of the Disappearing Trust
Protecting Your Estate Plan from Challenges: No-Contest Clause Explained
The Secret Child
Welcome to 'Splitting Heirs'
Section 17.3, comment f, of the Restatement (Third) of Property (Wills and Other Donative Transfers) explains the difference between a collateral power of appointment and a power of appointment in gross: “In traditional...more
As pet owners, we form deep bonds with our furry, feathered, or scaly companions, considering them part of our families. But what happens to these beloved pets if we become unable to care for them due to illness, incapacity,...more
Does a court-appointed GAL in a trust matter owe fiduciary duties to the parties to the trust relationship who have yet to come into existence, e.g., the settlor’s future great grandchildren (hereinafter the “non-existent...more
Fortunately, your worry was solved by the Massachusetts Pet Trust Law, M.G.L.A. 203E § 408, which allows the creation of a trust during the settlor/owner’s lifetime for the continuing care of a pet or other animal should the...more
Individuals with a disability or special needs (hereafter, the “individual”) frequently have a team of people providing them the care and assistance they require. For families managing this care team, there is an...more
For many pet owners, their furry friends are not just their most valued possessions – they are family members. Pet owners want to do everything they can to care for their pets, but what happens if they outlive you? It can be...more
Many of us consider our pets an important part of our family and worry about their care and well-being when we are no longer able to make decisions about their care. As animal lovers ourselves, we have worked with many...more
Fiduciary litigation, which includes disputes involving families, estates, trusts, and property transfers, can be complex and daunting. However, there are certain basic, frequently encountered aspects of fiduciary...more
The Grinch lives alone in a mountaintop cave with his dog, Max, and no medical attention for his undersized heart and oversized unpleasantness. The Grinch observes the noisy holiday festivities of Whoville from afar. The...more
In In re Guardianship of Margol, a mother named her son as her power of attorney agent and as a trustee of a trust in which she was a beneficiary. No. 05-21-00255-CV, 2022 Tex. App. LEXIS 4119 (Tex. App.—Dallas June 16, 2022,...more
California trust disputes often involve the interests of parents and their minor children. Sometimes those interests conflict. When disputes are settled, who looks out for the interests of children under 18 years of age? Who...more
A few years ago, I spent a memorable weekend going back and forth between my office and a client’s hospital room. I spent hours sitting at hospital cafeteria tables or by my client’s bedside while he waited for an operation,...more
In Pense v. Bennett, the ward in a guardianship proceeding sued to invalidate the sale of real property from a trust created for his benefit to an affiliate of the trustee. No. 06-20-00030-CV, 2020 Tex. App. LEXIS 8002 (Tex....more
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are taking action to make sure that their affairs are in order – reviewing guardian nominations for their minor children, funding their revocable trusts and, in some cases, making...more
Most California trust and estate disputes involve adults who can make their own choices about what to seek and how hard to litigate, such as the common scenario of siblings competing for assets. But many disputes, or at...more
President Obama just signed a new law that allows First Party Special Needs Trusts to be established by mentally competent individuals for their own benefit. This is a major “fix” to the current law which only allows First...more
Imagine how you would feel if you walked into your bank, asked for a summary of your account activity and the bank told you that it had no idea how much money was in your account or how it had been spent. Of course, this...more