http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/ Published by Joel A. Schoenmeyer en-us 2009-07-03T08:25:30-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/07/michael_jacksons_estate_part_3_1.html I posted a link to Mr. Jackson's Will yesterday. A few thoughts: -This is what's known as a pourover Will. Mr. Jackson has a trust called the Michael Jackson Family Trust (the "Trust"), and any assets owned by him in... Estate Plans of the Rich and Famous deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-07-03T08:25:30-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/07/the_8000_income_tax_credit_for_1.html Hey, I like the internet as much as anyone (really!). But one problem I have is that there are very few places to turn in order to really understand an issue. A lot of the problem is reliance upon secondary... Income Tax deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-07-01T23:49:31-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/07/michael_jacksons_will_the_pdf.html It's here. Analysis to come.... Estate Plans of the Rich and Famous deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-07-01T13:53:27-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/06/michael_jacksons_estate_part_2.html This blog may morph (just like the "Black or White" video!) into the Michael Jackson's Estate Blog in the coming months (or years). The latest: there appears to be a 2002 Will, according to this WSJ article. Usually a Will... Estate Plans of the Rich and Famous deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-06-30T20:24:48-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/06/thomas_jefferson_rogue_executo_1.html I'm currently reading James W. Loewen's Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong. It's a follow-up to Mr. Loewen's book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong. I recommend both books. One section... Estate Plans of the Rich and Famous deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-06-29T11:37:39-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/06/contingent_fees_in_the_probate.html The Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog has this post about a case involving contingent fee arrangement in an estate. 40% of $100 million. Wow. The court couldn't decide, without additional facts, whether the 40% fee was unconscionable? Gosh --... Probate Litigation deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-06-28T11:10:40-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/06/thoughts_on_michael_jacksons_e.html For many people from my generation (I was 12 when the album Thriller was released), the death of Michael Jackson is a pretty big deal. My family has always listened to a lot of his music, from the Jackson 5... Estate Plans of the Rich and Famous deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-06-27T10:47:33-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/06/five_wishes_a_rebuttal.html Recently I posted (here) a summary of a recent Illinois Bar Journal article about potential problems with the Five Wishes directive. I almost immediately received an e-mail from someone affiliated with Five Wishes, saying "stay tuned for a rebuttal." The... Powers of Attorney and Living Wills deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-06-17T08:39:20-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/06/advanced_estate_planning_estat.html I usually think of estate planning as either basic or advanced (Estate Planning 101 and 102, as it were), and I spend most of my practice (and this blog) talking about the basics of estate planning. However, Estate Planning 102... Estate Planning deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-06-16T07:11:59-06:00 http://www.deathandtaxesblog.com/2009/06/more_on_george_allen_smith_iv.html I previously blogged about George Allen Smith IV's mysterious death and the probate proceedings surrounding it here and here. The case is still in the news (here). Basically we're talking about a battle between the deceased honeymooner's wife and his... Estate Plans of the Rich and Famous deathandtaxesblog-1 2009-06-11T13:40:59-06:00