Author Archives: Skvarna Law

Celebrity Estates: James Earl Jones

SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO, ITALY. DECEMBER 5, 2014. Darth Vader helmet replica . Darth Vader or Dart Fener is a fictional character of Star Wars saga. Studio lights.

These words, uttered by James Earl Jones in his voice-over role as Darth Vader, are indelible in the minds of Star Wars fans. People know Jones also for voicing Mufasa in The Lion King and a series of cable news promotions in which he declared, “This is CNN.” 

Happy 18th Birthday! Now What?

18th Birthday handwritten typography lettering Greeting card with colorful big cake, number, candle and confetti

Congratulations! You are now legally an adult. Although you may not feel any different, from a legal standpoint, a great deal has changed. When you were a minor (under age 18), your parents were your legal guardians responsible for making all your decisions. Now that you are an adult, their legal authority over you is […]

HIPAA for Young Adults

HIPAA The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provides guidelines to the healthcare industry for protecting patient information and preserving privacy. This is usually a nonissue for minors because parents, as legal guardians, generally have access to their children’s medical information, make most of their medical decisions, and pay the expenses.

HIPAA for Young Adults

HIPAA The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provides guidelines to the healthcare industry for protecting patient information and preserving privacy. This is usually a nonissue for minors because parents, as legal guardians, generally have access to their children’s medical information, make most of their medical decisions, and pay the expenses.

DIY Probate: Don’t Do It!

Bad Idea sign with clouds and sky background

With a defective deed or a deed discovered before the owner dies, address problems by preparing and recording a corrective deed. Do so in the applicable public land records, depending on your state law. Do this only with the assistance of an attorney. In this way, you will ensure that the correction is actually a correction and causes no additional issues with the deed or property title.

Divorce & Celebrity Estates: Shannen Doherty  

paper family near a broken heart a divorce

According to a stipulated agreement with Iswarienko, Doherty’s estate was able to retain the couple’s home in Malibu, California; a Salvador Dali painting; several cars; and all earnings from her acting. In addition, as part of the divorce proceedings, she had filed an income and expense declaration stating that she had $251,000 in the bank; another $1,880,000 in stocks and bonds; and insurance money from a lawsuit over damage done to her California home. She also stated that she had real property worth $3 million and $134,000 in a pension fund.

Personal Property in an Estate

Concept of real estate auction, legal system and property division after divorce

In cases where more than one family member is interested in the same item, the best-case scenario is that they can reach a peaceful resolution, perhaps involving trading other sought-after items. If there is an impasse, beneficiaries could sell the item in question and divide the proceeds equally. Another option is for one beneficiary to buy out the other beneficiary’s interest in the item. They could also draw straws or flip a coin. The solution may depend on whether the dispute is over a single item, like a ring, or over multiple items, resulting in a breakdown in the peaceful division of items.

Scary Estate Stories: Left Out of Your Parent’s Estate Plan?  

Halloween Ghost Spirit Floating out of Open Book, Reading is Fun, Read Storybook Imagination, Scary Story Graphic estate stories

More than half of millennials say they expect to inherit approximately $350,000 or more from their aging parents. But baby boomers say they plan to leave far less than that to their kids. One survey found that many do not plan to leave behind any money.In another study, just 26 percent of Americans, including 22 percent of baby boomers, said they expect to leave an inheritance 

How to Choose a Conservator for Yourself

Conservator job title on nameplate

You may run into situations in which third parties require the nominated individual to exercise explicit authority. They may need to complete tasks or manage your financial affairs. If this is the case, you will want it done in a way that is not provided through a signed financial POA. In these cases, if you no longer have capacity, your loved ones may need to go before a judge.