I spend a lot of my day talking about and planning for death. Until now, it’s been an inevitability of life. However, a la Black Mirror, artificial intelligence specialists and computer scientists say they are close to creating programs to digitize the mind. A startup claims to have successfully preserved an animal’s brain connectomes to […]
Read More…Anthony Bourdain not only loved to explore but also made it a point to inspire others to travel. In his Last Will and Testament, he specifically bequeathed his frequent flyer miles to his wife and asked that she “dispose of [them] in accordance with what [she] believes to have been my wishes.” Although most loyalty […]
Read More…Just like cars, there are many different types of trusts out there for you to select. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept, here is a run-down; a trust is a legal arrangement that allows a third party, or trustee, to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries. Most trusts […]
Read More…Hey, we do live in South Florida. But seriously, I come across many trusts created in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s where life was slower, and trusts were irrevocable. These irrevocable trusts had a goal to reduce the size of a person’s estate to avoid estate tax. If you’ve been reading my newsletters, you […]
Read More…There’s no other way to say it. Almost two years after the legendary singer died, Prince’s estate is more convoluted than ever. To the best of our knowledge, the Purple One didn’t have a will. Leaving behind an estimated $300 million estate, Prince died without parents, children or a spouse declared as his heirs. As a […]
Read More…Just when you think you’ve seen it all….an unconscious patient was brought into a Miami emergency room with the words “Do Not Resuscitate” tattooed across his chest. The word “Not” was underlined, and the tattoo included a signature. The patient had a history of pulmonary disease and lived at a nursing home. He was found […]
Read More…I’m often asked how to prevent family squabbles once a loved-one passes away. Surprisingly, the answer is to ensure a common understanding of the estate plan. Even an “unfair” plan, where one person doesn’t feel they are receiving their fair share, is more easily digestible if communicated correctly. Coincidentally, Holidays are a perfect time to […]
Read More…There are currently 18 states plus the District of Columbia that impose either an estate or inheritance tax or both. Nine of those states are introducing death tax changes in 2017, and they’re all changes that lessen the tax bite. How much you may leave your heirs free of state death tax depends on where […]
Read More…In case you haven’t heard, Hugh Hefner “Hef”, the publisher of Playboy Magazine, died last month, at the age of ninety-one. Although his Will was not made public, It’s clear that Hef took the necessary steps to ensure that his estate plan was iron clad. Hef is survived by his third wife Crystal Hefner and […]
Read More…The US Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, 133 S. Ct. 2675 (2013) recently held that for purposes of applying federal law, same-sex married couples residing in a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriages (like New York) are to be treated the same as opposite-sex married couples. The Court, however, did not decide the legal […]
Read More…More than a fancy word, there are two portability programs I discuss frequently with folks: 1. The Florida Portability Transfer of Homestead, where beginning in 2008 Florida homeowners can transfer (or port) the savings they’ve accumulated (known as the Homestead Assessment Difference) to another homesteaded property, up to $500,000. 2. The Federal estate planning device […]
Read More…According to many surveys, 95 percent of Americans believe in G-d or some type of higher power. While some define religion as a belief in G-d, not all religions do. For some, spirituality may be a vital part of their lives, but not include a belief in G-d. Whatever your religious views or spiritual nature, […]
Read More…As every parent knows, life happens. Things that cannot be predicted happen and all that we can do sometimes is be prepared for whatever life throws our way. As parents, we are responsible for our children and as long as we are on this earth we try to make the best decisions on their behalf. […]
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