Paper Claims to Have Identified Prince’s Son

If a California newspaper is correct, then dividing up Prince’s estate will be much easier than previously thought. The paper claims that DNA tests have proven that Prince has a son.

Recently, the Minnesota probate judge overseeing the Prince estate threw out the claims of 29 people who said they were related to the late musician. Most people took that to mean that there were six possible heirs left to Prince’s fortune and that they will have to undergo DNA testing.

The Santa Monica Observer recently report on this in “SMObserved Finds Prince Rogers Nelson's Son--Uncanny Resemblance!”

The article claims that DNA testing has proved that another, previously unknown, man is Prince’s son, which would make him the musician’s sole heir.

The newspaper reports that Sheila Steman was a musician who used to perform in many of the same clubs as Prince. The story indicates that her son, Anthony Steman, may have been the result of a relationship with Prince.

The judge overseeing the case ordered that the results of the genetic testing of Steman be kept under seal, which the paper believes is proof that Steman is Prince’s son.

However, there could be other reasons for the decision and it is unclear how a small California paper would have such inside knowledge of a Minnesota court case that has received lots of attention from much bigger media outlets.

While Anthony Steman might prove to be Prince’s son, at this point it should still be viewed as a rumor.

If you would like to review or create a will or trust for your family, please contact one of our Estate Planning Attorneys in Orange County or Corona at 800-220-4205, or visit our website at www.OCElderLaw.com to see what we can do for you.

Reference: Santa Monica Observer (Aug. 9, 2016) “SMObserved Finds Prince Rogers Nelson's Son--Uncanny Resemblance!!”

Remarriage and Estate Planning

If you are planning to get remarried, it is important that you revise your estate plan before doing so, especially if you have children from a previous marriage.

One of the most challenging things for estate lawyers and probate courts to administer is the estate of someone who passes away without a current plan, who was married at the time of death and who had children from a previous marriage. In these cases, it has to be determined how much the spouse is entitled to and how much should go to the children from the previous marriage.

Depending on the terms of the divorce, an ex-spouse could also be entitled to certain assets of the deceased. Most of the difficulty can be avoided if, before getting remarried, people revisit their estate plans and make sure they are updated properly to reflect the expected marriage.

This was the subject of a CNBC article titled “Getting remarried? Protect your assets and your interests.”

The article lists some common estate planning mistakes that people make when getting remarried, including:

• ·         Not deciding whether beneficiary designations on financial accounts should be changed.
• ·         Not having a plan for which assets can be co-mingled with the new spouse’s assets and which should not be.
• ·         Not having an estate plan at all.
• ·         Not considering a prenuptial agreement.
• ·         Failing to give proper verbal instructions to family members.
• ·         Not deciding whether a house needs to be re-titled.
• ·         Not purchasing long term care insurance or otherwise planning for nursing home care.

Why take chances? Get the counsel of a qualified estate planning attorney to help you cover all of the bases.  To get started, please visit our website at www.OCElderLaw.com. Then schedule a private consultation with one of our Estate Planning Attorneys in Orange County at 714-525-4600, or one our Estate Planning Attorneys in Corona at 951-264-5732 today.

Reference: CNBC (July 28, 2016) “Getting remarried? Protect your assets and your interests.”

A New Type of Doula

Traditionally a doula is someone who offers care and support to a woman in labor to make the birth process easier. However, a new type of doula helps those at the other end of the life cycle.

Passing away is not as easy as it might seem. Patients in the dying process are sometimes confused, in pain or in need of comfort. Their loved ones are often just as confused and unsure about what they should say or even if they should say anything at all. Increasing awareness of these difficulties has led to an understanding that having a professional to assist dying patients and their families can be beneficial as the Washington Post reports in “Dying is hard. Death doulas want to help make it easier.”

Death doulas are trained professionals whose job is to assist the dying and their families. They attempt to make the transition from one world to the next easier. Sometimes that means that the doula just sits with a dying person and holds his or her hand so the individual knows he or she is not alone. Doulas will often help loved ones overcome their own emotions so they can say their final goodbyes. They have even been known to run errands for family members to make sure that families do not miss the final moments of a loved one’s life.

Anything that makes the end of life easier for the elderly and their families is welcome. Disputes that begin in sick rooms have often been known to linger for years between family members and can lead to family fights and even estate litigation.

To the extent that death doulas can make those disputes less likely, they offer a valuable service to the elderly and estate planners.

If you have questions about planning for the future, be sure to contact an estate planning attorney to see what is best for your particular situation. For more information please visit our website at www.OCElderLaw.com. If you would like to speak with an Estate Planning attorney in Orange County, please call 714-525-4600, or 951-264-5732 to speak with an estate planning attorney in Corona. We can help you assess your particular situation with an in-depth private consultation.  

Reference: Washington Post (July 22, 2016) “Dying is hard. Death doulas want to help make it easier”

Waiting for the Tesla Model 3?

If you are currently on the waiting list for the Tesla Model 3, what happens if you pass away before getting the vehicle?

The announcement of the Tesla Model 3 generated enough buzz that more than 300,000 people paid $1,000 dollars each to be on a waiting list for the chance to purchase the vehicle when it becomes available. As the car is not expected to start shipping until late in 2017, that makes it likely some on the waiting list will pass away before getting their hands on the coveted electric vehicle.

Bloomberg reported this development in “What Happens When You Die Waiting for a Tesla?”

The actuarial reality that people on the waiting list will pass away means they should be aware of what might happen to the right to purchase the vehicle in the event of death.

Everyone on the waiting list signed a contract with Tesla that explicitly states that the right to purchase a Tesla Model 3 is not transferable to another person without the prior approval of Tesla. This is included as Tesla was concerned that spots on the waiting list would be hoarded and sold at higher than retail value when the car starts shipping. Even estate permission from the company must be sought to transfer the right to purchase to an heir or beneficiary.

A spokesperson for the company told Bloomberg that should someone on the waiting list pass away, Tesla would be accommodating. They would either refund the $1,000 deposit or allow a transfer of the place on the waiting list to an heir.

If you have questions about setting up an estate planning  in Corona or Orange County, please visit our website at www.OCElderLaw.com, or contact on of our Estate Planning Attorneys in Orange County at 714-525-4600, or our Elder Law Attorneys in Corona at 951-264-5732 for a private consultation.

Reference: Bloomberg (July 13, 2016) “What Happens When You Die Waiting for a Tesla?”