http://sandiegoestatecenter.com We Can Plan Any Estate In California - The Law Offices of Roy Newman Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:31:13 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en By now most people are sufficiently entangled with the internet – they have an Ebay account, shop on Amazon, check their bank account online, and are members of a few social networking sites as well. What happens to those accounts after you pass away? A myriad number of ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2010/02/28/what-happens-after-i-die-%e2%80%93-20/ It appears that the traditional veil of secrecy surrounding Swiss banking is crumbling. The New York Times is reporting that a former Swiss banker may cooperate with Congressional investigators looking for targets beyond Ernst & Young, KPMG, and Arnold and Porter (who were entangled in 2008) and UBS (2009) ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2010/01/31/when-offshore-asset-protection-is-really-tax-evasion/ The Wall Street Journal has unraveled a scheme used by the giant retailer to avoid the imposition of state taxes in as many as 25 states. The simple graph of how the scheme works can be viewed here. Basically, Wal-Mart pays rent to its real estate trust ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/12/31/tax-relief-and-trusts-how-wal-mart-avoids-taxation/ An article by the US News and World Report gives "8 Tips to Avoid Nasty Estate Surprises."  I agree with most of the points, and add my critique after each tip below: 1. Get a good lawyer. I would add that your lawyer should concentrate exclusively in this area. 2. Pick the ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/11/30/8-steps-to-avoid-estate-litigation/ With the death of Michael Jackson and other celebrities, no contest clauses have come to the fore of the public’s attention. No contest clauses are an attempt to keep brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and everyone else from suing in probate court every time someone writes an unfair ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/10/31/legal-fights-over-wills-no-contest-clauses-hit-the-public-spotlight/ Steve McNair never had an estate plan in place. He never had a will, a trust, or any other testamentary instrument. Although I frequently warn about the dangers of not having a proper estate plan in place, it is hard to imagine a set of facts that will ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/09/30/estate-planning-101-steve-mcnair%e2%80%99s-estate-is-a-complete-mess/ A recent Wall Street Journal article discusses the importance of having an advance health care directive in place should you become incapacitated. Though the article refers to an “advance medical directive,” in California it is called an advance health care directive. These directives give doctors direction, in your ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/08/31/what-is-an-advance-medical-directive-or-living-will/ The law regarding wills and trusts has changed greatly over the years. New law makes it difficult to precondition a devise by will or trust on an act that would violate public policy. For instance, California Probate Code § 710 prohibits imposing a condition or restraint on marriages ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/07/31/10-odd-bequests-or-how-to-disinherit-with-style/ In a case that will surely be publicized to no end, the first of possibly multiple wills (see "What Will Happen if I Die Without a Will?") executed by Michael Jackson have been submitted to the Los Angeles Probate Court. The will apparently refers to a trust (see "What ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/06/30/michael-jackson%e2%80%99s-%e2%80%9cdisinherited%e2%80%9d-father-in-last-will-and-trust/ Peter Falk, the star of Columbo, is 81 years old and suffering from dementia. His daughter Catherine Falk allegedly instituted the conservatorship (What is a Conservatorship?) because Peter’s wife had refused to let her visit him. Attorneys from both sides are questioning each other’s motives, with Peter’s wife ... http://sandiegoestatecenter.com/2009/05/31/california-conservatorship-law-family-fights-over-peter-falk/