No singer had more soul, funk or fire in front of an audience than James Brown. When he died on Christmas day 2006, the world lost one of the 20th century’s most influential figures in arts and entertainment.
Advice for preventing disputes of your estate
Imagine that your two sons have been getting along well during all of their adult lives. However, after you die, there's a disagreement between them regarding the distribution of your estate. The arguments enflame old wounds and they end up in court – fighting over what each believes is rightfully theirs. Unfortunately, these situations happen a lot, and it's precisely what you want to try to avoid when you're planning your estate.
Unraveling Paul Allen’s $26 billion estate
He co-founded a technology company that transformed communications, businesses and personal lives. He was a daring venture capitalist, a generous philanthropist, owner of headline-generating professional sports teams and a man whose taste in fine art resulted in a stunning collection that was the envy of the art world. Nevertheless, billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen was a private man who probably valued solitude more than any of his glittering possessions.
Tips for creating a will that won’t spark family arguments
If only all families were perfect: If everyone got along perfectly and agreed on everything, then there would be no need to worry when creating your will. However, no family is perfect. Siblings and other relatives who usually get along just fine may come to loggerheads when it comes to a loved one’s estate.
A difficult situation fraught with difficult choices
One of the many benefits of estate planning is that it helps people get through some of life’s most difficult times. We read recently a letter a man wrote to his local newspaper with a question that was both interesting and heartbreaking.
Can disinheritance be a good thing?
When most people hear the word “disinheritance,” they imagine a family rift that caused a parent to write a child out of the will. In some cases, this is true. A parent may feel the need to disinherit a spendthrift child to prevent them from squandering the family fortune. An argument may prompt someone to disinherit their kin. But in other cases, disinheritance is a useful tool that can actually help protect a beloved child’s inheritance.
What are the most important benefits of a well-planned estate?
Everyone seems to know that an estate plan is not something that you should delay. In fact, the sooner you complete your estate plan the better because we never know when our last breath will be. The last thing you want to do to your family is to leave them scrambling to make sense of your estate and your wishes after you're gone.
Time to share news about how to pass on a timeshare
People from all over the nation have purchased timeshares here in Florida. From Cocoa to Orlando and from Miami to Jacksonville (and all places in between), timeshares are to be had for those wanting to escape the cold for a warm beach. Of course, Brevard County residents also buy timeshares in exotic spots around the U.S., including Hawaii, Colorado and California.
Why a personalized will matters
Part of the human experience is being there for friends and family. They help us when needed and we do the same in return. We look out for one another. This continues after death: sharing assets, wealth or family heirlooms. Many people use a will to share with their children, spouse or close friends. If you have no will, the state of Florida oversees what happens to your possessions.
