The Huffington Post recently reported on the aftermath of the tragic death of former boxing champion Hector “Macho” Camacho. The boxer had only recently retired from the sport after nearly three decades in the ring against some of the sports biggest stars. In his 50s, the boxer lived in Puerta…
Medical and technological breakthroughs in recent decades have impacted virtually every facet of life–estate planning is no exception. For example, many rules in the field hinge on definitions of legal heirs. In the past, it was pretty clear who those heirs were, typically biological or legally adopted children. When an…
One of the biggest movies set to debut this holiday season is “The Hobbit,” based on the well-known fantasy novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. This film follows in the footsteps of the very successful “Lord of the Rings” movies made over the last decade and a half. However, the release of…
A perennial hot-button topic in estate planning and the creation of inheritance documents involves the passing on of personal values. Of course, the majority of work related to estate plans invovles physical assets: who gets the house, the bank accounts, the stocks, the insurance, the family china, and more. Making…
Many lessons can be taken from the beating that our state took in recent weeks as a result of Hurricane Sandy, not least of which is the resiliency of New Yorkers. However, as we piece things back together, some advocates are reminding community members of one overlooked victim of lack…
The popularity of social media sites has led to an outburst in use of the word “viral.” “Viral” videos and articles are frequently pointed to as a product of the mega-popularity of sites like Facebook and Twitter. This just refers to stories and movies/clips that spread very quickly from person…
The uncertainty about whether or not the United States Supreme Court will intervene and decide the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act or determine whether the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution requires marriage equality will soon be over. That is because, as discussed in a recent, helpful…
Before being overshadowed by the election, the talk of the social media universe in the past week and a half was Disney’s purchase of the George Lucas film business (LucasFilm). The film company owned all the rights to the mega-popular Star Wars francise, and the purchase might mean that another…
DNA Info in New York shared an interesting story on the intersection of a custody dispute, estate planning, and a one billion trust fund waiting in the wings. The tale is a reminder of how money and the emotions following a death are a breeding ground for feuding and conflict…
Do you really need to conduct estate planning if you are only in your 30s, don’t have many assets, and don’t have a lot of money to spend on legal and planning services? Absolutely. The specific costs of these planning efforts can always be arranged to meet your resources. And…