Last month, this blog looked at the ongoing legal drama surrounding the probate of former Zappos CEO, Tony Hsieh’s estate. While that post focused on distribution of an estate when a person dies intestate (dies without a will), this post will focus on an interesting detail of the Hsieh case — namely whether Mr. Hsieh’s writings […]
Bankruptcy may be one of the last things on your mind when you are creating an estate plan. Fortunately, the number of bankruptcy filings has declined over the past several years, but there were still a whopping 544,463 bankruptcy filings in 2020.[1] What happens to your estate if you file for bankruptcy protection but die while […]
Wills and trusts are the two basic legal instruments that people use to pass accounts and property on to their loved ones at death. Although a revocable living trust is often used in place of a will, the two are not mutually exclusive. You can have both a will and a trust, and in fact, a […]
Our lives are full of everyday superstitions. Knock on wood, don’t step on sidewalk cracks, and that talking about bad things make them more likely to happen. This last one is among the most given reasons why people don’t make estate plans. “If I talk about it, then I’ll die” goes the excuse. Unfortunately, this is […]
Do you really own the home you live in? If you are currently living in a property that you inherited, but the deed has not been transferred into your name, you may be surprised to learn that, under the law, you are technically not the owner. This legal situation is known as “tangled title.” A tangled title […]
It is okay to not be okay. Removing the stigma of mental health starts with realizing that many people—about one in five of all US adults–are affected by mental illness. Understanding this fact can lead to more people getting the help they require, not only by seeking guidance from a mental health expert, but also by […]
It is a new era for college student-athletes, who can now (as of July 1, 2021) profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). A change to the long-standing National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) policy that prohibited athletes from making money has abruptly—and dramatically—altered the landscape of NIL in collegiate athletics. The NCAA has long been criticized […]
Occasionally, after completing your estate plan, you may be surprised to discover a reference to Joseph P. Kennedy and his descendants buried deep within your trust document. Discovering in your very personal estate planning documents the name of someone with whom your family has absolutely no connection can be particularly puzzling, and even distressing. But, before […]
