On Sunday, July 3, 2o11, the New York Times ran an article by John Leland titled “Love and Inheritance: A Family Feud.” In it, he details the travails of 93 year old Celeste Holm, movie star of bygone days, and her family. She and her 48 year old husband are pictured in the Central Park […]
My last post’s headline “grabbed” by Forbes.com contributor
I was surprised and delighted that the headline of my most recent blog post, The State of Connecticut Estate Planning, was “grabbed” by a Forbes.com contributor. Check out Hani Sarji’s blog on estate planning issues and my headline on February 13 : http://blogs.forbes.com/hanisarji/headline-grabs/. The blog, “Estate of Confusion”, captures blog posts that have covered estate […]
The State of Connecticut Estate Planning
A few days ago, the meeting of Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association focused on the state of estate planning now that changes in the federal estate tax have eliminated tax planning as a motivation for estate planning for many people. The take-away message was clear: apart from tax implications, reasons abound […]
Your “Big Picture” Year-End Review
As 2010 draws to a close, year-end reviews become popular. We’re all told to take a cold, hard look at where we are and where we need to go. Businesses are encouraged to examine where they can make marginal changes to improve their bottom line. Individuals are urged to pick one, small change that they […]
Mediation Talk to New Haven, CT Estate Planning Attorneys
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of giving a talk on meditation to the New Haven (CT) County Bar Association’s Trusts, Estates, and Probate Committee. The group included attorneys at every level, from those new to the bar to those who had been in practice for many years. The presentation covered two areas. First, […]
Family business buy-out conflicts
Family businesses possess great strengths — and potentially devastating weaknesses. One weakness involves the challenge of planning for a day when some or all family members leave the business. On November 1, 2009, the New York Times ran an article by Charles V. Bagli titled “Flipping a Coin, Dividing an Empire.” In it, he described […]
Difficult Conversations About Estate Planning
Many, perhaps most, families find it difficult to talk about estate planning. Parents may be uncomfortable with the idea that their adult children would have any input in the planning process. Without that input, parents may make decisions that seem wise, but are based on mistaken beliefs and impressions. Some may be uncomfortable informing their […]
