According to Yahoo News the Australian Supreme Court recently held that an unsent text message giving his house and pension to his brother rather than to his wife and son qualified as a will. The word "will" was in the text and the man died shortly after the text message was written.
The deceased was experiencing problems in his marriage at the time of his death. The wife, however, was able to elect against the estate and obtain some money.
Lesson:
Don't rely on a unsent text message to dispose of your property. A will or trust is much more reliable. ...
Read More
Newly Redesigned Medicare Cards
The newly redesigned medicaid cards will not have a Social Security number on them. This will supposedly cut down on fraud. ...
Read More
Reversed and Remanded
The three words above mean a new trial and more cost and expense to the estate.
Shelia Foxley Radford gave her daughter Mary Radford $200,000 to purchase a new house. The gift was made in May 2007. At the time of the gift Mary signed a handwritten note that the money was recognized by her "as inheritance."
Three years later mom updated her will and restated her trust. In the trust's restatement there was no mention of the $200,000 gift to Mary. Under the terms of the restated trust Mary was to receive one-sixth of the residuary estate.
After Shelia died in 2014 Provident Trust Company administered the estate and filed an application in ...
Read More
