New Orleans — Former Covington resident Gail Sheffield was held dear by friends for her sense of humor, her modesty and her brilliance — “She was Google before there was Google’’ long-time friend Julia Sims said. But what Sheffield held most dear was feral cats. They were her passion in life, Sims said, and she…
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The first step in creating a trust is to ask yourself what you want to accomplish. The whole idea of setting up a trust is to provide for your loved ones after your death. But how do you ensure the trust doesn’t run out of money? The keys, financial planners say, lie in setting up…
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The estate of author J.R.R. Tolkien is testing the principle, “You can’t be sued for suing.” In November, the estate and book publisher HarperCollins filed an $80 million lawsuit against Warner Bros., its New Line subsidiary and Saul Zaentz Co. — which holds the rights to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings –…
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An appellate court judge has thrown out a Florida mogul’s adult adoption of his 42-year-old girlfriend, saying that his failure to notify his ex-wife about the scheme was a ‘fraud.’ Third District Court of Appeal Senior Judge Alan R. Schwartz wrote that the adoption of a ‘paramour’ or lover has no purpose and cannot be…
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Washington: Michael Jackson’s three children and his mother are seeking 40 billion dollars compensation for the singer’s death from AEG Live. They accused the entertainment company behind the star’s planned O2 Arena concerts for “negligent hiring and supervision” of Dr Conrad Murray-Jackson’s doctor, who is jailed for the star’s manslaughter, TMZ reported. The kids want…
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Life insurance is one of those financial products that can give people the heebie-jeebies. It can sound confusing and complicated, and it involves thinking about a very scary proposition: death. But life insurance really isn’t as frightening or complex as it seems. It’s actually a fantastically useful and flexible estate-planning tool that can provide income-tax-free…
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Steps of a probate – we’re here to help you understand! Probate can sound like a confusing topic – especially when we’re using terms like “intestate” or issuing “Letters” that aren’t really letters at all. In order to take some of the guesswork out of probate, here is a list of steps taken in a…
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When you look at your life, you probably have multiple sources of pride: a beautiful family, a successful career or business, and an inviting home. Whatever it is that makes you proud, protecting it is vital to ensure its future success. Your home and business probably have insurance, but what can you do to protect…
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By Abigail Neal, Arizona Wills Lawyer Question: Is a handwritten Will valid? Answer: Possibly. Under Arizona law, some Wills may be valid if they are handwritten. See A.R.S. § 14-2503. A handwritten Will is also called a “holographic” Will. A holographic Will is valid under the following circumstances: 1. The material provisions must be in…
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On June 20, 2013 Governor Jan Brewer signed House Bill 2457 abolishing Arizona’s charitable solicitation laws. As a result, Arizona charities are no longer required to file annual Charitable Organization Registration (or Renewal) forms with the Arizona Secretary of State. Why Did Arizona Have the Charitable Solicitation Requirement in the First Place? Americans are the…
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The taxman is coming. The late James Gandolfini left his heirs an estimated $70 million. However, because of poor estate planning, his heirs will owe a more than $30 million tax bill. What did Gandolfini do wrong? In his will he left 80% of his estate to his sisters and nine month old daughter. This…
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Estate planning is a complicated area of law. As a result, there are many myths about the law that can be harmful to you and your loved ones. Here are some common estate planning myths and facts: Myth: Probate is not required if I have a Will and my assets can be transferred immediately under…
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