by Christine | May 14, 2013 | Estate Law, Estate Planning, Wills |
Nearly 2.5 million Americans died last year, many without signing a will. One of them was apparently Roman Blum, a Holocaust survivor and New York real estate developer who was worth almost $40 million when he passed away in January 2012 at the age of 97 … If, after...
by Christine | May 13, 2013 | Estate Law, Estate Planning, Marriage, Probate |
If a conflict of interest arises in fact between the spouses, their estate planning attorney should withdraw and advise the spouses to retain separate counsel. Having represented both of the spouses, the attorney may not thereafter represent one of them against...
by Christine | Apr 19, 2013 | ATRA 2012, Estate Law, Estate Tax, Gift Tax, Portability |
Although the new law has been hailed as a welcome relief from the old rules, it still can be deep water. Consider consulting a reliable estate-tax pro. With budget uncertainty over our heads, it’s nice to know there are some laws that are (supposedly) set in...
by Christine | Apr 3, 2013 | Art, Estate Law, Estate Planning, Illiquid Assets, Valuation, Valuation Discount |
Artwork can be really valuable. Thus, it is hardly surprising that artwork will be a contentious matter in estate tax cases. When it comes to estate planning, determining the value of artwork can be disputable and very difficult to pin down. However, in order to fit...
by Christine | Mar 28, 2013 | Estate Law, Estate Planning, Mediation, Wills |
…In general, the lasting anger and bitterness of litigation doesn't seem to occur when matters are settled by mediation. Inheritance battles are nothing new. We see several of them make their way into courtrooms far and wide, exposing the family “cat fight” for...
by Christine | Mar 13, 2013 | Cost Basis, Estate Law, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Stock |
I just inherited some stock from my uncle, and I know that he bought the stock for more than the present cost. Should I find the original cost, or do I use the cost as of the date I inherited the stock? If you ask any accountant or business owner, calculating the cost...
