Tag Archives: Probate

Can Lucky inherit $100 million?

Lucky is a Siamese cat and, yes, the cat can inherit!

Lucille Benton, 70, has decided that she will leave her children their family heirloom and photographs but Lucky will get all of her money. Lucille says that her kids “never visit and rarely call. They have good paying jobs. They can take care of themselves. There is nobody to care for my Lucky.”

Her kids have tried to have her declared insane and committed to an institution; however, she’s had three independent psychiatric evaluations which have concluded that she is sane. She says her attorneys have assured her that her Will will hold up in probate court if her kids try to challenge it once she’s gone.

Meanwhile, Lucky will continue to live in Lucille’s home with a staff of 40, a limo and chauffeur and a private aviary so Lucky can have fun catching and eating birds!

This may sound ridiculous but it does point out the importance of figuring out what you want to have happen to your assets when you’re gone, and documenting those wishes so that they will be carried out…even if they are unusual.

To find out more about wills and planning for the end of your life, go to www.diesmart.com.

Who makes decisions if your divorce is not finalized?

I came across a blog the other day that made a very important point. If you are in the process of divorcing and have a medical emergency, who will make decisions on your behalf?

When Lamar Odom was recently found unconscious in a Nevada brothel and was rushed to the hospital, who did the officials call? They called Khloe Kardashian. Although they are in the process of finalizing their divorce, in the eyes of the law, they are still married and unless an advance directive for healthcare states otherwise, is the person who can make medical decisions on his behalf.

Unless you just don’t care, when you are getting a divorce, it’s critical that you update your advance directive to name someone other than your soon to be spouse to decide what the doctors should and shouldn’t do if you have an accident or a sudden health emergency.

To find out more about advance care directives and planning for the end of your life, go to www.diesmart.com.

Haunting story of a lonely man’s death

george Bell I read this story in the New York Times a few days ago and it still haunts me.

The Lonely Death of George Bell tells about a man who died alone. No one realized he was gone and there was no one to plan his funeral or settle his estate. This story goes thru the saga of what happened to him, what he left behind and who had to deal with all of it. It’s more like a novella than an article but it’s well worth taking the time to read it. I did and can’t forget it!

For more information about issues related to dying and settling an estate, go to www.diesmart.com.

New California Digital Privacy Law

Earlier this month, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a very broad statute that protects digital privacy rights.

Called the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, it does not allow any law enforcement agency to force a business to turn over any metadata or digital communications without a warrant. The new legislation seems to be the most comprehensive in the United States.

Here’s an article from Slate we found that provides lots of details about the new California law.

For more information on how to protect your digital assets, go to www.diesmart.com or look for our book “ACCESS DENIED” on amazon.com.

California passes right-to-die law

This past week, Governor Jerry Brown of California signed a bill into law that makes it legal for a dying person to end his or her life. When Brown signed the bill, he also released a letter to the state assembly explaining why he agreed to sign it.

He said, “The crux of the matter is whether the State of California should continue to make it a crime for a dying person to end his life, no matter how great his pain or suffering. In the end, I was left to reflect on what I would want in the face of my own death.”

“I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating pain,” Brown wrote. “I am certain, however, that it would be a comfort to be able to consider the options afforded by this bill. And I wouldn’t deny that right to others.”

The law requires that patients are able to administer the life-ending drug themselves. Also, their decision must be submitted in written form, signed by two witnesses and approved by two doctors.

California becomes the fifth state to have a right-to-die law. New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington are the others.

For more information about end-of-life decisions, go to www.diesmart.com.