Posts by VMGOKEA Law

Baby boomers know money isn’t the only important aspect of estate planning. A 2012 study released by the Allianz Life Insurance, Co. showed baby boomers wanted to leave their family more than just financial assets. Researchers found baby boomers identified family values as some of the most important things to pass down to heirs. In…

Spring has officially sprung and that means it’s spring cleaning time. Shake out the rugs, clean out the cupboards, and get your legal and financial affairs in order. For plenty of folks, it’s easy to know what to do when it comes to home organization, but the idea of legal and financial ordering can be…

Fans of Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, The Producers, and Willy Wonka were saddened by the death of Gene Wilder. Unlike others who die from Alzheimer’s disease, the comedian’s death was attributable entirely to this deadly disease. The fact is that Alzheimer’s disease is the real cause of death of millions of people, causing a slow…

In U.S. v. Adent, 117 AFTR 2d 2016-1505 (7th Cir. 5/10/16), Leonard and Joyce Advent owned a commercial property as joint tenants with their son, Derek. Leonard and Joyce owed tax to the federal government. The Internal Revenue Service placed a lien on the property for the amount owed by Leonard and Joyce. The IRS…

Eva Johanna Rova Barnes (“Eva”) was born on July 17, 1916. She grew up on a parcel of land that was homesteaded by her parents. The property included a residence, where Eva lived alone after the death of her husband and daughter. The parcel of land also included a residential rental property that was owned…

Tom Clancy was a prolific scrivener of action novels. Upon his death at age 66, he left a substantial estate. His Will divided his estate into three shares – one share to his wife, one share for his wife to use during her life (with the remainder to go the daughter of their marriage), and…

Now that the election of Donald J. Trump has become a reality, the question is how that will affect estate taxes and estate planning. The simple answer is that for most Americans there will be no change, as currently 99% of taxpayers are not subject to the estate tax. If the law remains unchanged, the…

Courts Disagree on Intent of Marie Callender Heir Donald W. Callender was heir to the royalties from the Marie Callender restaurant chain. Donald passed away in 2009, leaving his wife, Catherine T. Callender (“Katy”), and his children, Cathleen Callender (“Cathe”) and Donald Lucky Callender (“Lucky”). Cathe is Donald’s daughter by his first marriage and Lucky…