Mamma Mia!: Common Estate Planning Issues for Blended Families
An Executor’s Guide to Administering an Estate
Interview with Lisa Grayson - Digital Planning Podcast
Inheritance Data - Digital Planning Podcast
An estate plan allows a person to direct where their assets go on their death—having your estate planning in order allows your voice and your wishes to be heard. If you die without an estate plan, your wishes may not be...more
A recent case by the Tennessee Court of Appeals highlights the importance of changing one’s insurance and retirement policy beneficiaries after divorce. This is true no matter what the divorce documents say and no matter what...more
In Suday v. Suday, the executor was also the sole beneficiary of her mother’s estate. No. 24-1009, __ Tex. LEXIS __ (Tex. June 27, 2025) (per curiam). She engaged in substantial litigation seeking to challenge her parents’...more
It is a common misconception believed by many that having a will avoids probate. Not only is it false, it really could not be further from the truth. Rather, a will is a tool that is often used during the probate process and...more
In a recent ruling, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) affirmed the finality of voluntary acknowledgments of parentage (“VAPs”), even if later genetic evidence proves that a parent who signed a VAP has no...more
Liam Payne’s sudden and tragic death shocked the world—but what followed should concern anyone without an estate plan. Despite a $32 million fortune, the former One Direction star left no will, leaving behind a young son, an...more
Dividing assets in a divorce is often a complicated and emotional process, and when inheritance is involved, the stakes can be even higher. In South Carolina, inherited property is generally considered separate from marital...more
In November of 2023, I did a post on this blog titled The Intersection of Family Law, Estate Law and Federal Law, regarding the reported Appellate Division case In the Matter of Michael D. Jones, Deceased. That case dealt...more
Certain life events demand that estate planners work with client testators to adjust their estate plans. Divorce and remarriage are at the top of that list. When matrimony devolves into acrimony – setting the stage for...more
Everyone who obtains a divorce in Massachusetts will have to file a crucial document at least once in their case: a financial statement. The importance of an accurate financial statement cannot be overstated, particularly in...more
Judge Kevin R. Culhane rotated into Sacramento County Superior Court’s probate department in January 2020. He shared his initial impressions with members of the probate bar on February 18, 2020, at the monthly lunch of the...more
The Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Newsletter compiles recent Trust & Estate cases. Our lawyers are at the forefront of this area of the law, shaping how it is handled in the Probate and Family Court. Goulston & Storrs is the...more
The probate unit of the Sacramento County Superior Court (Department 129) will have a new judge in January 2020. Judge Kevin R. Culhane will be the probate judge, replacing Judge John P. Winn who has served in that role since...more
Disinherited Son Loses Bid in New York to Share in Father’s Estate Based on Brother’s Promise - Matter of Estate of Fogel, No. 2006-1234/B (Kings Sur. April 10, 2019) - A disinherited son tried to make a claim on the...more