Anne Petter — Modest Teacher and Favorite Niece Anne Petter was a teacher who died in 2008. Her favorite uncle (this distinction may or may not be true) was an early investor in UPS. In 1982, she inherited stock from him. In 2001, she held $22 million worth of UPS stock. At the time, the… Read More »
Posts Categorized: News and Current Events
Consider Not Only HOW to Protect Your Assets, But Also WHY
I write a lot on my blog about how to protect your assets, but just as important as the question of how to protect your assets is the question of why? At some point every person asks themselves “what (or who) am I doing this for?” British fashion designer Alexander McQueen certainly knew the answer… Read More »
Japanese Quake Inspires Thoughts on Disaster Preparedness
Last month when Japan was hit with a terrible earthquake and subsequent tsunami the world watched in horror and helplessness as news teams and cell phone cameras captured the tragic loss of lives, homes, families and belongings. Since that day nations have come together to help the victims recover what they can and begin rebuilding,… Read More »
Icon, Businesswoman, Philanthropist—What Happens Now to Elizabeth Taylor’s Fortune?
The recent passing of Elizabeth Taylor has many wondering what will now happen with Ms. Taylor’s sizeable fortune? According to this article in Forbes Ms. Taylor’s fortune includes not only the millions she made in the Hollywood movie industry, but the even greater amount made she made with her fragrance line. “In her most savvy… Read More »
Women Rise to the Challenge in the World of Entrepreneurship
Being an entrepreneur is difficult—going out on a limb and starting your own business is always going to involve a lot of hard work and a certain amount of risk—but women entrepreneurs often have even more of a challenge than most. This article in Forbes describes some of the hurdles that face women entrepreneurs (especially… Read More »
Take Advantage of New Tax Act Opportunities
In December of last year President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 (the “Act”), which encompasses far more than its name would imply. For the past few months our office has been diligently researching the many ways this act might impact our clients, and what we’ve found… Read More »
Contemplations on Advanced Planning After the Recent Tucson Tragedy
Ever since the tragic shooting in Tucson earlier this month I’ve been thinking about Gabrielle Giffords and her family, as well as the other victims of the shooting. Thankfully, Ms. Giffords survived and by all accounts is making an amazing recovery. The most recent news reports that her condition has been updated from “serious” to… Read More »
Omission of Husband in Elizabeth Edwards’ Will is Not the Whole Story
Elizabeth Edwards was a thoughtful woman who always seemed sure of what she wanted, so when it was revealed earlier this month that her will left everything to her children, with no mention of her husband John Edwards, nobody doubted she knew exactly what she was doing. There has been no end of speculation in… Read More »
The Future of Estate Planning With the New 2011 Tax Laws
The passage last week of the bipartisan tax bill has many people breathing a huge sigh of relief. Not only is the tax uncertainty at an end, but the end result is beneficial to just about all American taxpayers, regardless of your wealth or the size of your estate. According to The Wall Street Journal,… Read More »
Fighting for the Dodgers, A Lesson in Pre- and Post- Marital Agreements
A story you may have seen in the news these past few months is that of Frank and Jaime McCourt; their very public divorce and their battle over ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. The couple, who had been married since 1979, bought the Dodgers franchise in early 2004, and shortly thereafter signed… Read More »