Empire is based on fictitious music company called Empire Enterprises. Lead character Lucious Lyon (played by actor Terrence Howard) is racing to name a successor for his company after learning he has months to live due to an ALS diagnosis. His sons Jamal, Hakeem, and Andre duke it out to…
Articles Posted in Probate
Retirement Planning Issues for Small Business Owners
Now is the time for small business owners to evaluate their year-end retirement planning while building a retirement budget line item for next year. A recent article in The (Great Falls MT) Prairie Star, titled “Review estate, tax and retirement planning issues now,” argues that a farm or ranch operation…
Death and Debts: What Can You Do?
Sometimes, a loved one’s estate may include debt. Do you know what to do should if you are the spouse or heir that inherits debt? If you aren’t sure what to do with a loved one’s debts after they pass – or what to tell others to do with your…
Paper Stocks – What Did Ronald Read Teach Investors?
Individual investor Ronald Read has made the news because his personal investing strategy relied heavily on paper stock certificates. Today, investment advisors encourage individual investors to convert stock certificates to electronic form and consolidate stocks with a professionals so that heirs will have an accurate record of ownership. In addition…
Houston Family Caregivers Should Ask Important Questions
Family caregivers face many details every day and estate planning may not be a top priority amidst the day-to-day caregiving tasks. However, there are many things caregiving expert Amy Goyer wished she would have asked before her mom and sister passed away.She says that it’s harder for her to feel…
Coach Dean Smith Leaves Legacy to Players Via Trust
Legendary Coach Dean Smith's estate is making news and not for vast wealth. The North Carolina basketball coach left $200 each to almost 200 players via his revocable trust. Typically, trusts are a private matter but Coach Smith's legion of admiring basketball players shared the news via social media. Revocable…
Should An IRA Trust Be Part of Your Houston Estate Plan?
An IRA Trust can be a beneficial estate planning tool for families under certain conditions. However, many investors are unaware of the IRA Trust and the benefits that it may provide. Trusts are only for the super wealthy, right? Wrong! The Kokomo Perspective recently posted an article titled “Are You…
Divorcing? Re-Visit the Details of Your Houston Estate Plan
Once you're divorced you should immediately create a new estate plan — a will or revocable living trust, a healthcare power of attorney, and a living will ("pull the plug") designee. Read on for more estate planning must-do’s regarding divorce. A recent article in the The Huffington Post, titled “Divorce and…
Don’t Just Think about Your Houston Estate, Plan It!
The sad truth is that most of us — some 70% of adult Americans — have neglected to write a will. Some think their assets are just too puny to worry about, others worry that the costs of writing a “last will and testament” are too high. But wills aren’t…
Distributing Houston Estate Among the Kids – Who Gets What?
In the book The Charles Schwab Guide to Finances After 50, author Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz poses the following scenario: “I’m confused about how to divide my estate between my children, who have different needs and financial resources. Is it best to divide it into equal parts?” This question is directed at…