Probate
We strive to make the process of estate planning and estate administration as simple and straightforward as possible. At American Wills and Estates we speak to our clients in plain English, and we are sensitive to the fact that many of our clients are still grieving the loss of a loved one. Our number one goal is to put our clients at ease and to reassure them with competency and compassion in their times of need.
Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes
JAMES GANDOLFINI died on 6/13/2013 in Rome as the result of a Heart Attack.
ESTATE MISTAKE:
Tony Soprano might have been a wise guy, but the actor who played him might not have been too smart for not putting his estate into a trust. He left only 20 percent of his estate to his wife, who had an unlimited deduction as his spouse. So 80 percent of his $70 million... Read More
Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes
PAUL W. WALKER, IV
AGE: 40
DIED: 11/30/2013; Valencia, CA; Car Crash
ESTATE MISTAKE:
The "Fast & Furious" actor used a pour-over will to funnel his $25 million estate into a trust for his 15-year-old daughter. This arrangement makes the estate a public affair. He also failed to update his plan for 12 years, so it might not have represented... Read More
The Probate Estate Administration Process Doesn't Have to be Scary.
THE PROBATE PROCESS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE SCARY.
The probate process sounds intimidating, doesn’t it? It sounds like you’re about to enter a world of paperwork and governmental red tape all while still being in the process of mourning the passing of a loved one. Well, even though it’s a process that may not occur at the best of times, it certainly doesn’t have... Read More
Protecting Digital Assets
PROTECTING DIGITAL ASSETS:
6 Important Steps to Take on Death or Incapacity
It used to be enough for a fiduciary and his attorney to simply search through a decedent’s or incapacitated person’s papers in his or her workplace and at home, watch the mailbox for a 90 day cycle, and review tax returns and account statements. Things are more complicated now and a... Read More
The Duties and Obligations that await the Executor
So you've been named as an Executor. It's an honor, but it's also a job. I came across this very interesting blog that lays out the duties and responsibilities that await an Executor and the many pitfalls that need to be avoided.
Do You Really Want to be an Executor?By Charles Wagner and Rachael Kwan | Blogs, Estate Law, Executors / Trustees | 0 comment | 1... Read More