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What Can We Learn from Richard Simmons? Lessons from a Celebrity Estate Dispute

The beloved fitness star (ahead of his time, if you ask me), Richard Simmons, passed away in July 2024 with an estimated $30M estate. Simmons established a trust where he named his house manager and friend of 35 years, Teresa Revels, as one of his co-trustees (and one of his beneficiaries) along with his brother. […]

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Why You Need an Attorney for Real Estate Closings: Protecting Your Investment Every Step of the Way

Buying a property is a major investment. Whether you are buying your first home, moving to a new residence, investing in a rental property, or are involved in a commercial protection transition, it is imperative that you ensure that all of the small details are taken care of properly. The real estate closing process is […]

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What Can We Learn from INXS’s Michael Hutchence? Lessons in Estate Planning and Trusts

The INXS singer, Michael Hutchence, tragically died in 1997 at the age of 37. He left behind his daughter and a last will that bequeathed $250K each to Amnesty International and Greenpeace (awwww, that’s nice!). The remainder of his estate was to be divided 50% to his daughter and 50% to his parents, siblings, and […]

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Maximizing Asset Protection: Navigating the Complexities of Medicaid Planning for Seniors

Long-term care costs are astoundingly expensive. According to the latest data from the Florida Health Care Association (FHCA), the median cost of a private room in a nursing home now runs into the six figures. As Medicare provides very little long-term care coverage, it is imperative that seniors in Florida use the right Medicaid planning […]

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What Can We Learn From AA Founder Bill Wilson? Insights into Trusts, Gifts, and Legal Clarity

It all started with a manuscript written by Bill Wilson, the principal author of The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. The book is a big deal (it’s actually called The Big Book), and the original manuscript is worth big bucks! It lays out the famous 12-step method for addiction recovery and is one of the […]

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What Can We Learn From Florida Strippers? The Legal Lessons Behind Florida’s Age Restrictions in Adult Entertainment

In an attempt to combat human trafficking, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law earlier this year banning anyone under the age of 21 from working in adult entertainment establishments. A few weeks later, a 19-year-old stripper sued the state of Florida, claiming her First Amendment rights were violated after she lost her job. She argued […]

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What Can We Learn From Bennifer 2.0? Insights into Real Estate Contracts

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are making headlines by NOT purchasing their forever home. The married couple are rumored to be walking away from yet another contract. The $64M mansion boasts: Ben and Jen have allegedly backed out of several similar deals recently after getting into escrow, costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars in […]

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What Can We Learn From a Billionaire’s Wife’s Trust Mistake?

Laura Overdeck filed for divorce from her billionaire, hedge-fund-manager, husband, John Overdeck, in March of 2022. She recently filed another lawsuit against the law firm, Seward & Kissel, and one of its partners claiming that they committed malpractice and fraud (yikes!) by not informing her that documents she signed in 2018, which moved marital assets […]

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What Can We Learn From Britain’s Richest Family About Power of Attorney Documents

What Can We Learn From Britain’s Richest Family Srichand Hinduja, the Indian-born billionaire leader of a global business empire and the patriarch of Britain’s wealthiest family, died at the age of 87 this past week. Hinduja, known by his initials, SP, was suffering from dementia and had drafted a power of attorney (PoA) naming his […]

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Charitable Giving and Estate Planning: Maximizing Your Impact and Tax Benefits

The National Philanthropic Trust reports that there are more than 1.8 million legally recognized charitable organizations in the United States. Are you considering leaving money, property, or assets to support a good cause? It is imperative that you have the right plan in place. At The Law Offices of Odelia Goldberg, we help clients access […]

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What Can We Learn From a Big Brother Contestant? The Importance of Reviewing Broker Agreements

Named the most villainous Big Brother contestant, Amanda Zachman (who went by “Zuckerman” on the show) was sued individually and through her company by the Florida and Pennsylvania’s Attorney Generals for running a homeowner benefits scam. Yikes!! Zachman’s company, MV Realty, marketed these wacky Homeowner Benefit Agreements (HBA) to thousands of homeowners in Florida and […]

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What Can We Learn From the Cats With an Inheritance? Insights and Lessons

At her passing in November of 2022, 84-year-old Nancy Sauer left her $2.5M South Tampa home to her SEVEN purebred Persian cats. The last will prevented the mansion from being sold until all of the cats have passed. Her obvious concern was the cats would be separated after her death and would struggle to adapt […]

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What Can We Learn From Chief Justice Warren Burger? Understanding the Importance of Powers in Legal Documents

No stranger to legal writings, Chief Justice Burger drafted and typed his own last will prior to his passing in 1995. The 176-word last will did not include a “powers” section nor any mention of taxes. Many articles were written about his tax consequences, but we’ll leave that to the wise accountants and CPAs to […]

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What Can We Learn From Sean “Diddy” Combs? The Surprising Lesson About Florida Homestead Creditor Protection

Oy Vey! Where to begin? Since this newsletter is not criminal law-based (thank the good Lord!), we will be focusing on the fact that prior to going to jail, the disgraced music mogul paid off his $18.8M mortgage on the very same Star Island mansion where he hosted his alleged “freak off” parties (ay-yay-yay). The […]

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What Can We Learn From David Cassidy? Tips for Minimizing After-Death Creditors in Estate Planning

The ’70s heartthrob, David Cassidy, passed away in 2017 at the age of 67, leaving his son as his primary heir. Cassidy’s estate was expected to be insolvent as he was known to have financial troubles. Despite selling over 25M records in the height of his career, he filed for bankruptcy in 2015. After his […]

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What Can We Learn From Emojis and Contracts? Insights into Legal Agreements

This story comes to us from Canada, where in March of 2021, a farmer and a grain buyer were negotiating an agreement over text to purchase flax. The grain buyer signed the physical contract, took a photo of the signature page, and sent it to the farmer with the words, “please confirm the flax contract.” […]

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What Can We Learn From a Streaming Subscription? Understanding the Legal Impact of Disney’s Arbitration Dispute

In October of 2023, Kanokporn Tangsuan, her husband Jeffrey Piccolo, and Piccolo’s mother dined at Raglan Road Irish Pub in Disney Springs, part of the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando. Allegedly, the family chose the restaurant believing it would have proper safeguards against serving dairy and nuts to Tangsuan, who was VERY allergic. Despite […]

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What Can We Learn From Freddy Mercury? Insights into Estate Planning

This past week, an auction of 59 of Freddy Mercury’s ‘clutter’ fetched $20M, sending me down an internet rabbit hole, but Don’t Stop Me Now! (can’t help it, people!!) The legendary Mercury passed away in 1991 at the age of 45 with a net worth of around $30M and decent legal advice. The Champion drafted […]

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What Can We Learn from the Shaman and Princess? – Insights into Prenuptial Agreements and Estate Planning

It reads like a Disney story, but you can’t make this stuff up! Norwegian Princess Märtha Louise and American self-proclaimed shaman, Durek Verrett, got married this past week. Not your traditional royal, the Princess is allegedly clairvoyant and has taught others how to create miracles and talk to angels. Of course! As for the shaman, […]

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What We Can Learn From The Golden Bachelor: Property Ownership Lessons for Seniors

ABC just announced the first ever senior citizen “Bachelor,” 71-year old grandpa from Indiana, Gerry Turner! The pickleball player married his high school sweetheart and they were together for 43 years until her passing in 2017. Turner is now looking to find “a second chance at love in the search for a partner with whom […]

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What Can We Learn from an Oil Tycoon? Lessons on Estate Management and Contracts

Autry Stephens, the founder and owner of Endeavor Energy Resources, struck a deal in February of 2024 that would have made him America’s richest oilman and one of the world’s 100 wealthiest people, but he died before the deal closed. A cancer diagnosis spurred Stephens’s decision to cash out and sell his company for $26B […]

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What Can We Learn from a Hermès Heir? Understanding Succession Planning and LLCs

What Can We Learn from a Hermès Heir? Nicolas Puech, an 80-year-old Frenchman and the primary shareholder of Hermès is estimated to be worth 9 to 10 billion Swiss francs. Puech is single and childless and recently announced that he will be re-writing his last will to include his “former gardener and handyman.” In fact, […]

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What Can We Learn from Shelley Duvall? Common Law Marriage and Probate Lessons

The Shining’s Shelley Duvall passed away this month, leaving behind her partner of over 30 years and a six-figure estate. Duvall apparently died intestate (no last will… Heeeeeeeeere’s Probate!) and was a resident of Texas, which recognizes common law marriage. Her partner petitioned the probate court to act as her personal representative and claim his […]

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What Can We Learn From an Irish Bachelor? Insights into Last Wills and Legal Disputes

Patrick McCarthy, a lifelong bachelor and descendant of an Irish family that first settled in Minnesota in 1850, passed away in April 2023 at the age of 87. McCarthy left behind around 134 acres of rolling farmland and forest worth over $10M and TWO (2) last wills! (one is good, two….not so much) The first […]

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Portrait of Odelia Goldberg, Esq.

With over 50 years of combined experience, our probate, estate planning, real estate, elder law and asset protection attorneys provide peace of mind for our clients throughout South Florida.

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