Charitable giving is an American tradition, and Americans give to charitable organizations at high levels. Gifts in the form of donations of cash remain the favorite vehicle for positively impacting charities of personal significance. Increasingly, however, individuals are seeking tax advantageous methods of utilizing asset-rich portfolios in order to achieve…
SEC football is known for its national championships, sensational athletes, and jaw-dropping hits. With this in mind, it is no surprise that the children of Jim Carlen, former coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks, are fighting back after being blindsided by the probate of a will that left them nothing.…
The execution of one’s final will and testament is something to be taken very seriously. The permanent and inevitable nature of death means that attention to detail is paramount to ensuring your final wishes are fully set forth, and that your loved ones have a clear roadmap to carrying out…
For many years, litigating parties have engaged in alternative dispute resolution for the purpose of attempting to resolve their disputes without judicial intervention. Mediation, one of the more common forms of alternative dispute resolution, is a process where a neutral mediator “acts to encourage and facilitate the resolution of a…
For many, the purpose of estate planning is to dispose of one’s property upon death in a manner that ensures that one’s loved ones will be taken care of. While some accomplish this by devising their property in a will to their intended beneficiaries, others take advantage of what are…
A will is an important document for many reasons, the primary one being that it disposes of a person’s property without that person being present to ensure that his or her wishes are being fulfilled. This in part explains why creating a will entails a great deal of formal requirements,…
As the result of modern advances in technology, more and more children are being born through in vitro fertilization. Another reason for this trend is that a greater number of career oriented professional women are choosing to focus on their careers at ages when, historically speaking, most women were focused…
Aside from the well-known concerns with do-it-yourself wills, there are a number of common mistakes people who seek only ancillary professional advice may fall victim to when devising their wills. Of the most frequent mistakes, four in particular are perhaps the least likely for a layman to anticipate. Each of…
The intersection of law and technology has received heightened attention in recent years due to the increasing importance of social media in our daily lives and the resulting implications for our personal privacy and confidential information. This modern interrelation between law and technology is becoming increasingly important in the field…
A recent Florida case, In re Estate of Aldrich, demonstrated the potential consequences of using so-called “Do-It-Yourself” legal forms as a substitute for professional legal advice. The case was centered on the will of Ann Dunn Aldrich, which had been written by Mrs. Aldrich with the assistance of an “E-Z…