Financial disaster can stem from personal setbacks like divorce, business disputes, litigation, and numerous other causes. But the last few months of 2012 remind us that sudden, unexpected financial catastrophes can also come from other sources – – like natural disasters and general economic conditions.
Hurricane Sandy is a grim reminder that certain losses are
In case you needed yet another reason for asset protection planning…
An increasing problem with jurors is the unauthorized use of social media during trial. A recent front page article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer by Alison Grant on August 29, 2012 has some shocking examples. One juror tried to “friend” a witness. Jurors in
As I mentioned in a post last March most of us now have multiple on-line accounts; and very few people consider what happens if they die and no one can access those accounts.
One of my associates, David M. Lenz, recently published an excellent article on this topic titled "Afterlife on the Cloud". As
Being named as a defendant in a medical malpractice case can be emotionally devastating to a physician — even if the physician is only peripherally involved in the case. Very few people fully appreciate how troubling it can be for a doctor who is named in such a lawsuit.
It is generally estimated that more than half of all Americans have absolutely no estate planning documents. This can potentially create a lot of hassles for your loved ones.
But even those Americans with very good estate planning documents often fail to focus on asset protection for their children and other beneficiaries. If you simply
A June 8, 2011 New York Times article by Steven M. Davidoff (a law professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law) notes that personal liability for directors and officers of large publicly held companies is less common than most of us think. Professor Davidoff argues that the upside of serving as a director
A fascinating article by Daniel J. Wakin in the November 29, 2010 New York Times reveals that even Mozart should have done some asset protection planning.
An aristocratic friend of Mozart’s sued him and won a judgment for an amount of more than two times Mozart’s annual income. The judgment called for garnishing half of
Trusts are not only for the rich. Anyone with minor children (and even children in their 20’s) should consider a trust for their family.
If any property passes to a child under your will, from a bank account "payable on death" or otherwise, the child will generally get all of that money at age 18. The
The recent economic downturn has caused creditor problems for many wealthy Americans who never dreamed they would be in this kind of situation. A front page article in the July 9, 2010 New York Times reported that one in seven homeowners with loans in excess of $1 million is seriously delinquent. Foreclosures are occurring at shocking rates
