Monthly Archives: April 2014
Estate Planning Humor: 3 Videos for April’s National Humor Month
April is National Humor Month — and who doesn’t like a good chuckle? Humor is easily one of the best ways to tell a story, or just to be entertained. Even typically serious topics can be ripe for humor. Estate and tax planning is no exception. To close out the month, here are links… Read More »
Gift by Poetry: Followup Exclusive — The Poem
On April Fools Day I wrote Gift by Poetry: Dogged Unfairness or Poetic Justice? about a recent appellate decision involving a poetic gift of a pet dog. I received a lot of good feedback on the piece and the story was picked up by the popular Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog. I also… Read More »
Illinois Probate: Heirs vs. Legatees
Last year I wrote about the importance of distinguishing between ‘Heirs vs. Descendants’ in the estate planning context. Today’s post will highlight the difference between ‘heirs’ and ‘legatees’ in the probate context. Heirs (n.): The individuals who by operation of (intestacy) law inherit the property of a decedent who dies without leaving a valid… Read More »
The 3 Habits of Highly Effective Trustees and Executors
Estate disputes can be triggered by the lack of effective estate planning. I recently wrote about 10 estate planning steps to help avoid family inheritance disputes. Conflict can also be caused by problems that arise during administration of a trust or estate. Trustees and executors face a laundry list of administrative tasks to address… Read More »
Gift by Poetry: Dogged Unfairness or Poetic Justice?
In honor of April Fools Day (and National Poetry Month), today’s post reviews a new Illinois appellate court decision that seems like a spoof (or a law school exam question) — but isn’t. There are usually a handful of Illinois cases each month dealing with estate or trust issues. Many involve esoteric procedural matters… Read More »