We have written at length about the various estate administration tasks that arise when an individual passes away. One major task for the estate administrator (either personal representative or trustee) or family members is cleaning out the decedent’s home. When the decedent owned his or her home, the estate administrator has time to get the […]
September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969 Rocky Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano in Brockton, MA. He grew up to be one of the most legendary heavyweight fighters of all time. He earned the nicknames “The Brockton Blockbuster” and “The Rock from Brockton.” Rocky fought 49 heavyweight fights in his career and won all […]
Earlier this month I discussed what is required to revoke a Will. Occasionally, however, testators wish to revive a revoked Will. Similar to revoking a Will, there are certain requirements to ensure that it is the intent of the testator to revive a previously revoked Will. If a testator wholly revokes a subsequent Will (Will […]
January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977 Today is the 36th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death. Presley died at the young age of 42 at his home in Memphis, TN. However, even in death, Presley’s work, image and legacy have a strong earning power. In 2011, Forbes listed Presley as the No. 2 Top-Earning Dead Celebrity, […]
In Jayne Sykora’s article, Holographic Wills, she outlines the requirements for a valid Will. But what if you want to revoke your current Will? A testator can revoke a Will either in writing or by an act that expresses the intent to revoke the Will. Writing A written revocation of a Will usually occurs when […]
November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973 In March we wrote about the untimely death of Brandon Lee on the 20th anniversary of his death. Well, today is the 40th anniversary of his father’s death, legendary martial artist and film star, Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco but was raised in Hong […]
November 5, 1913 – July 8, 1967 Vivien Leigh, most famous for her role as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind, died on this day in 1967. Ms. Leigh was born Vivian Mary Hartley but changed her name when she began pursuing her acting career to “Vivien Leigh” (altering the spelling of her first […]
Every now and again clients ask what happens when someone murders someone for an inheritance. Can the murderer inherit from the victim’s estate? The simple answer is: No. If the potential beneficiary of certain assets murders the decedent, he or she is denied inheriting from the decedent’s estate – including both probate and non-probate assets. […]
We have posted a few updates on the 2013 MN Omnibus Tax Bill (the “Bill”) and the changes the Bill brings to MN’s estate and gift taxes (see Erik Doerr’s post, 2013 MN Omnibus Tax Bill, and Maggie Green’s post, Minnesota Gift Tax 2013). Another change that comes with the passing of this Bill is […]
May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987 Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, NE. His father anglicized the family name during World War I to Astaire. By the age of four, Astaire began taking ballet lessons and only a few years later began studying at a performing-arts school in New York. It was […]
I recently came across this TED Talk by Judy MacDonald Johnston and thought she did such a great job starting the discussion on end-of-life planning that I had to share it with our readers. The video is worth watching (it is a short 6 minutes) and should be shared with any loved ones who are unwilling […]