Tag: will or trust

by Estate Planning Attorney Nydia Menendez As an estate planning attorney, I understand the value of protecting our loved ones. And as a passionate pet owner, I believe that protection must also extend to our four-legged family members as well. That’s why, when clients have fur babies in their families, I offer a comprehensive (and complimentary) Pet Trust for that family. For many of us, our pets are part of our family, much like a child. Yet, we see many plans (not prepared by our firm) which fail to address…

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by Estate Planning Attorney Nydia Menendez In matters of Estate Planning, there is never a one-size-fits-all document. Every family is different, and each of its members have specific needs and concerns that must be met using various planning tools. When a person’s Estate Plan includes a beneficiary with special needs, mentally or physically disabled, the planning needs to include the right tools to implement a Special Needs Trust. Otherwise, if the distributions are done outright to the family member with special needs, this could jeopardize their eligibility for government benefits…

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by Estate Planning Attorney Nydia Menendez Walt Disney passed away in 1966 at the young age of 65. His Estate was valued at 23 million dollars. Walt was a good steward; he had done Estate Planning which left half his wealth to charity – an excellent way to reduce taxes. The other half went to his wife and two daughters, Diane and Sharon, in a Trust. So, why am I talking about this famous Estate? Because even though Walt Disney did good planning, the youngest daughter – Sharon – may…

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by Estate Planning Attorney Nydia Menendez In late 2013, while on Thanksgiving break during filming for his upcoming movie, Furious 7, Paul Walker died in a tragic car accident. Ironically, many fans remember him by one of his famous quotes: “If one day the speed kills me, don’t cry. Because I was smiling.” Walker was only 40 years of age and was survived by his parents and his 15-year-old daughter, Meadow. Even though young at the time of his passing, Paul Walker understood the importance of managing his Estate in…

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by Estate Planning Attorney Nydia Menendez Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, known more commonly as simply “Jackie”, was the wife of our 35th President, John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in November 1963. The scene of her at her husband’s side during that tragic event is etched into the minds of millions of people around the world. After President Kennedy’s assassination, Jackie did not pursue public office or any type of celebrity life. She sought to live privately with her kids. Still, there was one paparazzo who mercilessly followed her and…

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by Estate Planning Attorney Nydia Menendez. When rock and roll legend Prince Rogers Nelson, known simply as Prince, died suddenly in April of 2016, his fans were filled with questions. Today, years later, all his heirs are asking questions. But it’s no longer, “What happened?” It’s “What WILL happen” … to the estimated one to three hundred-million-dollar value of Prince’s Estate? Prince died without an Estate Plan of any kind. Not even a Will. And Prince’s assets are confusing: cash, investments, royalties from music and merchandise, a Caribbean villa, and…

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by Estate Planning Attorney Nydia Menendez Have you seen the Netflix “Tiger King” series? During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, with people stuck at home in quarantine, this series went viral, being watched by over 64 million households. The show focuses on infamous zookeeper, “Joe Exotic.” But the third episode, titled “The Secret” really got me interested because it was about Carole Baskin, the founder of “Big Cat Rescue,” which is Joe Exotic’s chief rival. Carole Baskin married millionaire Don Lewis in 1991. Together the couple co-founded “Wildlife on…

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