Business

14 Jun LITTLE RICHARD, LITTLE ESTATE? GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY!

Posted at 14:52h in Asset Protection, Business, Estate Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Music

Although Little Richard recently died, with an estate estimated at $40 Million, it could have been much greater if he had made better business decisions. He sold the rights to his hit song, “Tutti Frutti”, to Specialty Records for $50 plus a half cent for...

01 Jun MURDER, SHE WROTE? WOULD “TIGER KING” NEMESIS BE TEXAS TOAST UNDER TEXAS ESTATE LAWS?

Posted at 14:19h in Beneficiary, Business, Dementia, Disability Benefits, Estate Planning, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Texas Bar Today Top 10 Blog Posts, Transfer of Death, Wills

The recent Netflix series “Tiger King” focused on the feud between an Oklahoma private zookeeper (of big cats such as tigers and lions) known as “Joe Exotic” (herein “Exotic”) who also called himself the “Tiger King” and big cat animal rights preservationist, Carol Baskin (“Baskin”)....

14 Apr PANDEMIC PLANNING IN PERIL: WHERE THERE IS A “WILL”, IS THERE STILL A WAY?

Posted at 15:49h in Beneficiary, Business, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Financial Powers of Attorney, Guardianship, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Notarizations, Power of Attorney, Probate Administration, Quality of Life, Retirement, Transfer of Death, Trusts, Wills

Coronavirus concerns have resulted in an unprecedented demand for Will planning in America. Even younger Americans are realizing that they are not invincible. Most Americans fail to have even a simple Will leaving the risk of their assets being distributed in accordance with the laws...

31 Mar WILL ONLINE (REMOTE) NOTARIZATIONS BECOME THE NEW “NORM”?

Posted at 14:43h in Business, Estate Planning, Financial Powers of Attorney, Guardianship, Notarizations, Power of Attorney, Trusts, Wills

Italy and China have enforced strict curfews (much stricter than “shelter in place”) in recent months to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus pandemic. As mentioned in our article “Pandemic Planning in Peril”, the signing of a Will in Texas is particularly difficult at this...

24 Sep MAYBE YOU DON’T HAVE TO READ THE “SMALL PRINT” A PLACE FOR MOM PAYS $6 MILLION DUE TO CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR VIOLATION OF TELEPHONE CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT

Posted at 09:00h in Business, Estate Planning, Lawsuits

The largest senior living and care referral service in the country, A Place for Mom, has agreed to pay $6 million to settle a class action lawsuit as a result of allegations that the company violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The plaintiff alleged that...

04 Aug ANDERSON COOPER INHERITS $1.5 MILLION FROM HIS MOTHER, GLORIA VANDERBILT

Posted at 09:00h in Business, Charitable Giving, Divorce, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Trusts, Wills

Gloria Vanderbilt’s Will provided that her son, CNN news reporter Anderson Cooper (“Anderson Cooper 360”), will receive the residue of her estate other than her Manhattan co-op and contents therein which were bequested to another son, Charles Stokowski. Since Wills and inventory are a matter...

01 Aug BINGO! ELIZABETH HURLEY’S SON DINGS GRANDFATHER BING FOR MILLIONS DESPITE BEING BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK

Posted at 13:57h in Beneficiary, Business, Divorce, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Probate Administration

A California court has ruled that Elizabeth Hurley’s son, Damian, remain a beneficiary of the trust of his grandfather, Dr. Peter Bing, notwithstanding Dr. Bing’s attempt to change the terms of the trust that he established. Another grandchild, Kira Kerkorian, also benefits from this ruling. Dr....

01 May NEW RETIREMENT SAVINGS ACCOUNT BILL LIKELY TO PASS THIS YEAR

Posted at 09:00h in 401(k), Beneficiary, Business, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Retirement, Taxes, Trusts, Wills

As a result of less employer-sponsored pension plans and the desire of Congress to encourage savings for retirement, it is anticipated that Congress will pass the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act later this year as it has bipartisan support. It will...

12 Feb DO YOU TRUST A TRUST? NINE WAYS TO USE A TRUST IN PLANNING

Posted at 21:02h in Asset Protection, Beneficiary, Business, Disability Benefits, Estate Planning, Inheritance, Lawsuits, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Probate Administration, Public Benefits Protection, Taxes, Texas Bar Today Top 10 Blog Posts, Trusts

Trusts are often a good tool to achieve one’s estate planning. Although this list is not exhaustive, the following are common things to consider: Protect beneficiaries from lawsuits. If properly drafted, a trust created in your Last Will and Testament or in your own revocable or...

17 Jan EXCEPTIONS TO MEDICAID ESTATE RECOVERY IN TEXAS – HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HOME, CAR AND OTHER ASSETS FROM REPAYMENT OF LONG-TERM CARE EXPENSES

Posted at 14:37h in Asset Protection, Beneficiary, Business, Disability Benefits, End of Life Care Planning, Estate Planning, Lady Bird Deed, Long Term Care, Medicaid Application, Medicaid Planning, Michael Cohen Dallas Elder Lawyer, Nursing Home, Probate Administration, Social Security, Transfer of Death

Although certain assets such as a home, car, mineral rights (subject to limitations) and businesses essential for self-support are “non-countable” when applying for long-term care Medicaid, there are numerous exceptions to avoid a successful claim by the State to be paid back for benefits (such...