The Constant Fear of “Rejection” When Drafting Real Estate Deeds


June 25, 2014
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When drafting real estate deeds (even though the Minnesota Uniform Conveyancing Blanks forms look relatively simple) there are several statutory-specific rules that inevitably lead to the return of your deed with a “rejection letter” from the county recorder. Here are some of the common mistakes made when drafting real estate deeds: Marital Status Omitted You […]

Division of Assets in Divorce


February 17, 2014
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When a couple determines that it is time to end their marriage, what should be the easiest part of the divorce process can, and often does, turn into one of the most contentious: the division of marital assets and property. Parties will often spend thousands of dollars on attorney fees arguing over personal property ranging […]

SkinnyGirl Gets Divorced


January 29, 2013
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Bethenny Frankel is the real housewife turned mogul, who sold her SkinnyGirl drinks to Beam Global for $120 million.  In a matter of a few years, Bethenny went from near bankruptcy to multi-millionaire.  She also went from single, to marriage, to motherhood in that same time frame. And now, she is getting divorced. I don’t pretend to be […]

Divorce for Same Sex Couples is no Easy Feat


June 22, 2012
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As the gay marriage debate rages on across the country, another related issue is gaining traction as well—gay divorce. Gay marriage is currently legal in six states and the District of Columbia. There is no marriage residency requirement in these states either. That means couples can get married in these states without living there. And […]

Kobe Bryant & Community Property


January 20, 2012
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The old adage “what’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine” is particularly true for spouses located in community property states. News of the L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant’s divorce reminds us how important it is to know whether or not you are located in a community property state and to plan properly if […]

Lessons from the McCourt Divorce Battle


August 8, 2011
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Since 2009, Frank and Jamie McCourt have been embattled in one of the messiest, public divorces. The McCourts were like any other couple. They met, fell in love, got married, and had four sons. However, along the way they purchased a major league baseball team, numerous homes costing millions of dollars and led an extravagant […]

Spousal Disinheritance


May 4, 2011
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A majority of states statutorily provide a surviving spouse with the right to inherit a percentage of the decedent spouse’s estate, even where the decedent spouse’s will evidences an intent to disinherit the surviving spouse. This statutory provision is often referred to as the surviving spouse’s “elective share” of the decedent’s augmented estate. The share […]

Til Death Do Us Part? Effects of Divorce.


November 7, 2010
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It is a fact of life that not every marriage will last until the death of either spouse. Thus, it is important to understand the effects of divorce on inheritance. Commencement of Divorce Proceedings In Minnesota, many believe that simply the commencement of a divorce will revoke any disposition to a soon-to-be-ex-spouse. This is not […]