Arizona Estate Planning

This Estate Has $2 Million Worth of Trees

Bloomberg Pursuits: “Art dealer W. Graham Arader specializes in antique maps, books, and prints, and he has a side interest in antique houses. “I own the seventh-oldest house in San Francisco,” he says, “I own the only pristine beaux-arts mansion on Madison Avenue, and I own George Washington’s home in Virginia.” Also in his possession is a 19th century Victorian house in Nyack, N.Y. Arader bought the home, roughly a 40-minute drive from Manhattan, for about $6 million in 2005. “I bought it for the beauty of the house,” he says. “I’m an art dealer. I like things that are beautiful, plus I bought it for my seven children to use on the weekends.”

On the Net2018-04-09T09:40:44-07:00April 10th, 2018|Estate Planning, Rich & Famous, Social Media|

Mike ‘The Situation’ My Lawyer Wants to Delay Sentencing…Tax Season is Taxing!

TMZ: “Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino got burned for not paying taxes, but now it might be tax season that buys him more time as a free man.”

On the Net2018-04-02T11:02:44-07:00April 4th, 2018|Estate Planning, Rich & Famous, Social Media|

Woman accused of killing brother over huge Colorado ranch worth millions

Fox News: “A Colorado woman has been accused of killing her brother to get her greedy hands on a family ranch that’s worth millions of dollars, authorities say. Stephanie Jackson, 33, was arrested on a murder charge Wednesday in the death of Jacob Henry Millison, who disappeared in 2015 when he was 29. The motive for murder: the family’s 700-acre ranch property in Gunnison County, according to Gunnison County Undersheriff Mark Mykol.”

On the Net2018-03-12T09:14:30-07:00March 13th, 2018|Estate Planning, Social Media|

Woman who cared for Florida gunman reportedly wants to control his inheritance

Fox News: “Just one day after the shooting massacre last week at a Florida high school, the woman who cared for the alleged shooter and his brother reportedly filed court papers seeking control of their inheritance, which could total up to $800,000. Roxanne Deschamps also had Zachary Cruz, the brother of shooting suspect Nikolas Cruz, involuntarily committed to a mental facility shortly after the massacre, the New York Post reported, citing a family source.”

On the Net2018-03-05T12:17:23-08:00March 5th, 2018|Estate Fights, Estate Planning, Social Media|

Richard Pryor & Marlon Brando Rumor Rekindles Bitter Feud Over Pryor’s Estate

Trials & Heirs: “Would comedian Richard Pryor be laughing or rolling over in his grave? When Quincy Jones sat down for a recent interview with Vulture, he casually inferred that Marlon Brando slept with both Marvin Gaye and Richard Pryor.”

On the Net2018-02-26T14:59:01-08:00February 26th, 2018|Estate Fights, Estate Planning, LGBT Planning, Rich & Famous, Social Media|

RIP: Estate planning for your digital assets

The Media Online: “What will happen to your Facebook account when you die? What about all your photos shared on social media, your texts with loved ones, or documents on cloud-storage systems? In just the two-year period from 2012 to 2014, humans produced more data than in all of human civilization before that – and the pace is only accelerating.”

On the Net2018-02-12T14:21:12-08:00February 15th, 2018|Digital Legacy, Social Media, Trusts, Video, Wills|

Student, 21, Flushed Her ‘Emotional Support’ HAMSTER Pebbles Down the Toilet and Drowned It After Spirit Airlines Banned It from Traveling with Her (and Now She’s Suing)

DailyMail: “A student who flushed her hamster down the toilet when Spirit told her she couldn't fly home with it, is now attempting to sue the airline for causing emotional distress. Belen Aldecosea claims she didn't have any other options but to kill her pet Pebbles rather than miss her flight back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in November after staff informed her that rodents were not allowed aboard.”

On the Net2018-02-12T14:04:37-08:00February 14th, 2018|Beneficiaries, Estate Planning, Estate Planning for Singles, Odd Requests, Planning for Pets, Social Media|

Prince Estate Declares Victory in Battle Over Unreleased Music

TMZ: “Prince's estate says it's won a legal battle with the producer who's fighting to put out unreleased music … and they're asking the court to sign off on the victory.”

On the Net2018-02-01T08:05:04-08:00February 1st, 2018|Estate Planning, Rich & Famous, Social Media|

What Happens to Our Facebook Accounts When We Die?

Kristina Sherry, a 2013 J.D. candidate at Pepperdine University School of Law, wrote a great article on a topic that too many people fail to consider – what happens to digital assets like a Facebook account when the owner of the account dies. The article begins:

“In the vast cyber-universe of millions of websites, billions of e-mails sent daily, and approximately twenty hours worth of amateur video uploaded to YouTube in the time it takes you to read this sentence—collectively sucking our psyches into digital excursions like baby pandas sneezing, small children shimmying to Beyoncé, and increasingly nonsequitur Internet memes—there are few things creepier than the dead Facebook friend. Yet, according to projections, more than 580,000 Facebook users will die in the United States this year, leaving just as many friends and family members wondering how to best handle a loved one’s persisting postmortem digital presence. Without third-party intervention, a dead Facebooker’s ‘profile' page will be frozen in time like a pixilated Dorian Gray, colored by iPhone photos, ‘pokes,' and ‘LOL!'s—possibly for an eternity.”

On the Net2013-02-04T08:29:44-08:00February 4th, 2013|Common Problems, Estate Planning, Social Media|

Have A Plan For Physcial And Digital Assets

9News: “Some elements of planning out your estate are obvious, others not so much.

Increasingly your digital assets, everything from online bank accounts to frequent flier and rewards programs to social media are becoming a consideration for estate planning.

Financial writer Catey Hill suggests designating a “digital executor” to handle wrapping up your online life.”

On the Net2017-10-07T11:14:47-07:00May 30th, 2012|Digital Legacy, Estate Planning, Social Media|

Question: I know I should leave the passwords for my computer / files / email / social media with my estate plan. What is the best way to do this?

Answer: Store a list of your important passwords somewhere safe that isn't on your computer.

More and more people are using their computers to store their important, personal information. For example, if you use financial accounting software, it may be next to impossible to settle your estate without being able to access that information. However, because of the sensitive nature of this information, you may have your files computer password protected. Also, things like your social media accounts and your email may need to be accessed after your death. Sure, your family can spend hundreds of dollars to hire an expert to decrypt your information, but the better solution is to leave your passwords somewhere that your loved ones will find.

The goal is to keep your passwords secure during your life, but readily accessible after that. Here are some options we suggest:

Put a list of all of your passwords and accounts in your estate planning portfolio. When you keep everything together in one central location, it makes it much easier for your loved ones to follow your instructions and wishes.

Put a list of your passwords and accounts in your safe deposit box. If you don't have one, ask the lawyer to drafted your Will to store it with your client file.

Tell your personal representative or spouse about your passwords and accounts.

Don't include your password in the text of your Will. You may have to change your password, which would then require […]

Richard Keyt2016-12-13T20:33:29-08:00May 23rd, 2012|Digital Legacy, FAQ, Social Media|

Question: I want to access the email account for my deceased loved one. How do I do this?

Answer: In many cases, you can contact the email provider and provide them some information demonstrating that you should have access to the account.

During the difficult time after a loved one passes, it is easy to forget about some of the small things, like accessing your loved one's email account. In a perfect world, your loved one would have left their email information and password in a safe place for you to find, perhaps even with their estate plan. However, people often overlook small details like these when preparing their estate plan.

If you cannot locate your loved one's email password, you can likely gain access by contacting the email provider. The email provider is whoever is listed after the @ symbol in the email address. Most email providers will turn over email account information to the deceased's next of kin with sufficient proof.

Google's Gmail requests a death certificate, a document giving you power of attorney over the person's affairs and the full header of an email sent to you by the deceased's account. You will also have to provide your name, address, email address and a copy of your photo identification as well as the deceased's email address. For more information see: http://tinyurl.com/6mu6jcn

Microsoft's Hotmail also requires a death certificate, a document giving your power of attorney or showing that you are the personal representative (executor) of the deceased's estate. You will also need to provide the deceased's email address, first and last name, date of birth, the city, state and zip the person gave […]

Richard Keyt2016-12-13T20:33:29-08:00May 23rd, 2012|Digital Legacy, FAQ, Social Media|

A Will For Your Social Media: Digital Afterlife 101

The Atlantic: “In the morning, many of us reach first for our screens. We check our phones before we get out of bed. We scroll through our inbox before we have a coffee. Our News Feed, our Twitter feed, it's all part of the standard morning routine.

In fact, it's pretty hard to picture a normal workweek, let alone a life, without emails, status updates, and Amazon purchases. But have you ever thought about what happens to all of your accounts when that inevitable day comes, and you can't log onto them yourself anymore?

Well, Washington thinks it's time to take the problem seriously. As Facebook rounds the billion-user mark, the Feds have stepped up to the plate with a formal policy about America's online profiles. On April 26th, the government added creating “a social media will” to their list of official personal finance recommendations. USA.gov advises folks to appoint someone they trust as an online executor, and to hand over all passwords and a clear statement about how you'd like each of your accounts handled after your death.”

On the Net2016-12-13T20:33:30-08:00May 16th, 2012|Social Media, Wills|

Nebraska Wants Social Media Access for Estate Representatives

ABA Journal: A bill pending in Nebraska would make the state the second to give estate representatives the power to handle social media accounts after the death of state residents.

The bill would treat Facebook, Twitter and email accounts as digital assets that would be managed by appointed representatives, according to the Associated Press and the Omaha World-Herald. The representative could access or close the account, or even post messages.

Continue reading about Nebraska's pending legislation about social media access for estate representatives.

On the Net2012-03-19T17:35:15-07:00March 19th, 2012|Social Media|

Is Your Facebook Account Part of Your Estate?

AZCentral: When Karen Williams' son died in a motorcycle crash, the Oregon woman turned to his Facebook account in hopes of learning more about the young man she had lost.

Williams found his password and e-mailed the company, asking administrators to maintain 22-year-old Loren Williams' account so she could pore through his posts and comments by his friends. But within two hours, she said, Facebook changed the password, blocking her efforts.

“I wanted full and unobstructed access, and they balked at that,” said Williams, recalling her son's death in 2005. “It was heartbreaking. I was a parent grasping at straws to get anything I could get.”

Now lawmakers and attorneys in at least two states are considering proposals that would require Facebook and other social networks to grant access to loved ones when a family member dies, essentially making the site contents part of a person's digital estate.

Continue reading about whether your Facebook account part of your estate.

On the Net2016-12-13T20:33:32-08:00March 16th, 2012|Estate Planning, Social Media|

Estate Planning for Your Online Life

Bankrate.com: Life in the digital age is both easier and more complicated. The same is true when it comes to estate planning. Not too long ago, a physical safety deposit box at the bank was all it took to safeguard important financial documents. Now, much of that information is online and guarded by numerous passwords — setting up a potential mess for heirs to sort through.

At death, a person's estate goes through the probate process and can't legally be accessed until an executor is named, according to Leanna Hamill, a Massachusetts estate-planning and elder-law attorney. However, things get more complicated if you become incapacitated because someone will need entry to your financial life — online and on paper — to make sure things run smoothly when you can't.

“Everything's getting more electronic these days,” says Leslie Corcoran, CFP and founder of Family First Financial Planning in Florida. The Internet has made more financial options available for estate planning, and attorneys often store wills and trusts online. This means information and accounts could be scattered across the digital universe. “I have clients who have CDs all over the place,” says Corcoran, adding that when someone dies or becomes incapacitated, if you don't know what they have, “you'll have to go through every piece of documentation and pray they were organized.”

Continue reading about Estate Planning for Your Online Life.

On the Net2016-12-13T20:33:36-08:00February 3rd, 2012|Estate Planning, Social Media|

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