An Arizona guardianship and conservatorship case involving a Disney heir seems to have stumbled to a conclusion. It took six hotly contentious years and (reportedly) millions of dollars in legal fees. The case involves interesting legal issues and intense family drama. One side issue: the appointment of a “guardian ad litem”. What is a guardian…
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Elder law and estate planning — which is what we practice at Fleming & Curti, PLC — doesn’t usually include divorce and family law issues. Sometimes, though, the two practice areas overlap. As, for instance, when a divorce decree effectively changes an estate plan. ERISA preemption Before we tell you our story this week, we…
Perhaps you have seen the term in a will or trust: “per stirpes”. What does it mean, and what difference does it make? A recent Texas Court of Appeals case addresses the term — and also gives us an opportunity to tell an interesting family story. William Lewis Moody, Jr. For our purposes, the story…
The holidays are upon us, as is end-of-the-year tax planning. You’re thinking about making a gift to your granddaughter, who is 14. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a simple way to make a gift to a minor? We have good news for you: let us explain UTMA accounts. You say UGMA, we say…
Special needs trusts can help provide extra benefits for someone receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid or (in Arizona) AHCCCS or ALTCS services. Anyone planning to leave money for an individual on public benefits should consider a special needs trust. Keep in mind, though, that there will be trustee fees for any professional serving as…
There’s a good chance you have used an electronic signature lately. Beyond credit card slips and package receipts, even real estate contracts are digital these days. Can you sign your estate planning documents electronically? Would a “digital will” be valid in Arizona right now? What is a digital will? Before deciding whether a digital will…
Might an irrevocable trust become revocable? That was the question faced by a South Dakota probate judge and, more recently, the state’s Supreme Court. It turns out that the trust’s beneficiary may be able to insist on termination of an irrevocable trust. A South Dakota story Mary Novotny, a widow living near the Nebraska border,…
Guardianship and conservatorship proceedings can be personally devastating to the proposed ward. The process can result in loss of dignity, autonomy and freedom. The subject of the proceedings should have legal advice; if they don’t already have a lawyer, a court-appointed attorney should be available. That issue loomed large in a recent Iowa Court of…
A court-appointed guardian has a variety of responsibilities. One administrative duty: most states require the filing of guardian reports, typically once a year. Those guardian reports alert the court to any changes. They also address whether the guardianship continues to be appropriate. Who and what must be reported Arizona, for instance, provides a report form…
It is hardly uncommon for family members to disagree about the validity or meaning of a will. Even when they disagree, though, few people actually go to the trouble and expense to file a formal contest. A recent will contest case in Georgia provided a different wrinkle that invites further explanation: the will contests filed…