If the SCF represents a good cross section of the country (it really tries), that means that overall about 0.95 percent of Americans have a trust fund from their parents. Have you set up a trust fund for your kids? If not, you might think trusts don’t apply to your financial situation. But what if […]

There are often particular assets in one’s estate which may require special consideration either due to its nature, value, or significance. Passing along financial assets from your estate is typically straight-forward.  However, special assets that are not so cut-and-dry require careful planning and possibly call for special estate planning tools to be used. The Lake […]

The woman wore frumpy house dresses, drove a beat-up old Chevy Cavalier, lived modestly in a two-family house on Washington Avenue across from Albany High School and harbored an astonishing secret. Few realized she was the millionaire next door, possessed of an investment portfolio that included tens of thousands of shares of Exxon Mobil and other […]

JPMorgan Chase and Co. is being sued by a historical local church after the congregation reportedly lost millions. Christ Church Cathedral claims the investment banker’s mismanagement of two trust funds and self-dealing resulted in a $13 million loss from a trust donated by humanitarian Eli Lilly Jr., the Associated Press reported Wednesday. Can your trustee […]

If you are about to send a child off to college or to a gap-year program, you’re probably busy with last-minute shopping, packing and worrying about roommates. Here’s one more thing you should do as you prepare for the big separation: Ask this young adult to sign a durable power of attorney and a health […]

The trial court held that the trustee of a perpetual charitable trust had breached the duty of prudence by investing the fund solely in bonds and awarded damages based on what the portfolio would have been worth had the trustee followed specific investment advice it had sought but ignored. What happens when trustees make poor […]

Don’t be a victim. Protect yourself by being on the lookout for estate planning scam artists. Scam alert! How do you know if your estate plan is legit? Estate planning scams are all too common in the United States. In fact, they seem to be on the rise. They normally involve non-attorneys who have a […]

Estate planning with one family is hard enough. For families with a mix of biological children and stepchildren, first spouses and second spouses, making out an equitable will can seem impossible. When The Brady Bunch first aired, part of its appeal was the novelty of two families blending together. However, today that is normal for many American […]

Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has launched a legal challenge against the former South African leader’s will insisting she is entitled to the rural estate where he is buried. Can an ex-spouse get their hands on one’s estate after they have passed? It all depends on where they reside and the planning in place. Nelson […]

When the team’s owner died in March, crucial details of his wishes weren’t in a will, but in a trust agreement, which is not public information. Ever since Buffalo Bills founder Ralph Wilson, Jr. passed away, Bills fans have been unsure of their team’s future. Will the team stay in Buffalo? Unfortunately, Wilson never made […]