Quick Caribbean cruise with Jack and 3 St. Xavier classmates including a day in Cuba. Post soon.
Quick Caribbean cruise with Jack and 3 St. Xavier classmates including a day in Cuba. Post soon.
In news of no importance, a California court ruled that the body of infamous mass murderer, Charles Manson, should be given to his grandson. The claims of a man claiming to be the son of Manson via an orgy and someone who was Manson’s pen pal were denied. The question of who will inherit Manson’s estate is still to be determined.
A few points:
Times are slow in the estate planning news area. I have been awaiting the resolution of a court hearing in Hawaii about the estate of their last living “Princess” for the past month. Alas, nothing has been reported.
Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoa is considered the last living Hawaiian princess. Her great-aunt was the last Queen of Hawaii. Her great-grandfather was a pineapple magnate who left her a fortune. The 91 year old survived a stroke last summer. Her long time attorney was granted control of her $250 million estate. Her long time 64 year old girl friend married her last Fall after initially breaking up with her because she wanted more than the $700K annual allowance she was receiving.
A few points of some pithiness:
1. Planning wise, Abigail should have had a financial power of attorney designating someone to handle her finances if she were incapacitated.
2. She also should have a medical power of attorney allowing someone to assist her with her medical decisions when necessary.
3. Hawaiians revere their royalty no matter how tenuously connected to the throne from 125 years ago.
4. Some (including me) might call a woman who marries an incapacitated wealthy woman 27 years older than her an opportunist rather than a wife.
Photo Credit: AP
License: Fair Use/Eduction
James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, died in 2006. His estate is still unsettled due to myriad lawsuits. He had intended to leave $2 million for scholarships for his grandchildren, memorabilia to his children, and the rest to a charity for scholarships for children from SC and Georgia.
Lawsuits have involved whether a woman should have been trustee, whether people should have been removed as trustee, the paternity of a son, and the validity of Brown’s marriage (his wife reportedly was married at the time of their marriage) plus the run of the mill will contest suits. The most recent suit involves whether his wife could sell the rights to his songs.
Two points:
1. There are no good lessons here. If heirs want to fight, they will find reasons to fight and no planning can prevent that.
2. I always preferred the music of Brown’s contemporaries, Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, both who died tragically young. One benefit of dying young is that there is no large estate to fight over nor large family to fight.
Photo Credit: Michael Holahan/Augusta Chronicle, via Associated Press and linked NYT article
License: Fair Use/Education