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Stephen “tWitch” Boss Dies Without a Will

October 1, 2024

Stephen Laurel Boss, also known as “tWitch,” was an American DJ, hip-hop dancer, choreographer, televisio...

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There is no shortage of advice flying around about estate planning, much of it from people who aren't even lawyers. Get insight on the popular pitfalls and how emerging economic shifts like cryptocurrency can affect your plan.

Stephen “tWitch” Boss Dies Without a Will

Stephen Laurel Boss, also known as “tWitch,” was an American DJ, hip-hop dancer, choreographer, televisio...

Anne Heche Dies With Conflict Around Her Will, Leaving Her Sons & Estate In Legal Limbo—Part 2

Actress Anne Heche died this August following a tragic car accident, leaving behind two young sons: Homer...

Anne Heche Dies With Conflict Around Her Will, Leaving Her Sons & Estate In Legal Limbo—Part 1

Actress Anne Heche died this August following a tragic car accident in which she plowed her vehicle into ...

A Not-So-Happy Accident: Bob Ross’s Estate Planning Failures —Part 2

As the host of the wildly popular The Joy of Painting TV series on PBS, Bob Ross became a pop-culture ico...

A Not-So-Happy Accident: Bob Ross’s Estate Planning Failures —Part 1

As the host of the wildly popular The Joy of Painting TV series on PBS, Bob Ross became a pop-culture ico...

Legendary Rapper DMX Dies With No Will, Millions in Debt, and 15 Children—Part 2

Legendary hip hop artist DMX—born Earl Simmons—passed away on April 9 at age 50 after suffering a massive...

Legendary Rapper DMX Dies With No Will, Millions in Debt, and 15 Children—Part 1

Legendary hip hop artist DMX—born Earl Simmons—passed away on April 9 at age 50 after suffering a massive...

Britney Spears’ Conservatorship: The Vital Importance Of Incapacity Planning—Part 2

Since the age of 16, when she burst onto the charts with her debut single, “...Hit Me Baby One More Time,...

Britney Spears’ Conservatorship: The Vital Importance Of Incapacity Planning—Part 1

Since the age of 16, when she burst onto the charts with her debut single, “...Hit Me Baby One More Time,...

Aretha Franklin’s Estate Planning Haunts Her Family —Part 2

Nearly three years have passed since Aretha Franklin, known as the “Queen of Soul,” died from pancreatic ...

Aretha Franklin’s Estate Planning Haunts Her Family —Part 1

Nearly three years have passed since Aretha Franklin, known as the “Queen of Soul,” died from pancreatic ...

Larry King’s Death Highlights Importance of Updating Your Estate Plan—Part 2

Legendary TV and radio host, Larry King, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on January 23...

Larry King’s Death Highlights Importance of Updating Your Estate Plan—Part 1

Legendary TV and radio host, Larry King, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on January 23...

Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh Dies Without A Will—Part 2

Last week in part one of this series, we discussed how Tony Hsieh became an Internet pioneer, starting tw...

Former Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh Dies Without A Will—Part 1

On November 27th, nine days after being pulled unconscious from a house fire in a beachfront home in New ...

Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Dies Without A Will—Part 2

On October 15th, nearly two months after the death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, his wife, Tayl...

Black Panther Star Chadwick Boseman Dies Without A Will—Part 1

On October 15th, nearly two months after the death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, his wife, Tayl...

What the Netflix Series Tiger King Can Teach You About Asset Protection -Part 3

Anyone who has seen the hit Netflix documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness can attest that i...

What the Netflix Series Tiger King Can Teach You About Estate Planning-Part 2

Anyone who has seen the hit Netflix documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness can attest that i...

What the Netflix Series Tiger King Can Teach You About Estate Planning-Part 1

Anyone who has seen the hit Netflix documentary Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness can attest that i...

A Tragic Oversight: Kobe Bryant’s Youngest Mistakenly Left Out of Family Trust

In January, we reported how the deaths of NBA legend Kobe Bryant (Kobe) and his 13-year-old daughter, Gia...

Kobe Bryant's Death Highlights Need for Estate Planning

As you no doubt already know, on January 26, 2020, basketball legend Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopt...

Who Will Be Emani’s Legal Guardian After the Death of Her Dad?

In the aftermath of rapper Nipsey Hussle’s murder this March, his family and ex-girlfriend have been lock...

Lifetime Asset Protection Trusts Can Protect Your Family From Wealth's Dark Side

When you create your estate plan, the idea that one of your adult children would ever use their inheritan...

Tom Petty Estate Battle: Daughters vs. Widow Over Music Rights | PFL®

This week Tom Petty’s daughters escalated the battle over their late father’s estate by filing a lawsuit ...

Luke Perry’s Death Demonstrates the Importance of Planning for Incapacity

In late February, Luke Perry, who became famous starring in the 1990s TV series Beverly Hills 90210, suff...

One Instance Where ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ Might Be A Good Idea

You might not be a big fan of their typical life choices, but the Kardashians recently demonstrated impre...

Aretha Franklin Dies Without a Will

Aretha Franklin, heralded as the “Queen of Soul,” died from pancreatic cancer at age 76 on August 16th at...

Thicke’s Estate Shows Importance of Properly Drafted and Updated Estate Plans

In the 1980s, the late actor Alan Thicke played the wise-but-hip father figure and psychiatrist Dr. Jason...

Estate Planning Best Practices Gleaned From Famous Celebrity Deaths

Discussing death can be awkward, and many people would prefer just to ignore estate planning all together...

The Ten Richest Families in America and Their Rise to Riches

Self-made millionaires are not uncommon in the dotcom era, but their fortunes pale in comparison to those...

Planning Pays Off: An Illustrative Look at Carrie Fisher’s Semi-Failed Estate Plan

Whether your estate is modest or movie star worthy, the value of a good estate plan, properly handled, ca...

Tax Lessons to be Learned from Celebrity Estate Plans

A celebrity's image and likeness can continue to produce considerable income after death. This type of in...

Facing Grief After the Death of a Loved One Can Be the Key to a Life of Health and Wholeness

If you have ever met someone who repeatedly sabotaged their life or seemed to have a hard time moving thi...

Leaving Without a Plan: Prince Didn't Leave a Will & Here's Why You Should

Even after death, celebrities are highly publicized for their mistakes, many of which we make ourselves. ...

Even Celebrities Like Queen Latifah Act as Caregivers for Their Aging Parents

We may not think about it often, but even celebrities take care of their aging parents. Actress, singer, ...

Kelly Clarkson Starts Blended Family: What She Needs to Consider

Starting a new family is always exciting and even a tad scary. This natural apprehension can be enhanced ...

Recent Superstar Death Brings Estate Planning to the Forefront of Discussion

The untimely death of superstar Prince has brought a surprising issue to American living rooms: estate pl...

Mark Zuckerberg Did Not Pledge 99% of His Facebook Stock to Charity — Here’s What He Did Instead + What He Could Do Even Better

When I heard that Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, were donating 99 percent of their Fac...

What to Do When a Spouse Suddenly Dies … Lessons from the Death of Sheryl Sandberg’s Husband, Dave Goldberg

The shock over the death of 47-year-old SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg, husband of Facebook COO Sheryl Sa...

What You Can Learn From the Estate Planning Mistakes of Others

There is much to be learned from the mistakes of others and the celebrity world abounds with cautionary t...

Protecting Our Family When It Matters Most

A drama currently playing out in a French courtroom demonstrates that any elderly person can fall victim ...

Robin Williams’ Family Fight Over Personal Property Not So Funny

Robin Williams’ wife Susan has gone to court over personal items she says were taken from the couple’s Ti...

No One Feeling Good About Continuing Battle Over James Brown Estate | PFL®

James Brown was known for his signature song, “I Feel Good,” but no one is feeling good about the battle ...

“And the Estate Planning Oscar Goes To...” Lessons on Film About Family

The film “Black Heirlooms” has not received any Oscar nominations. It was made by 32-year-old Amanda Brow...

Joan Rivers Has Last Laugh Through Use of a Family Trust

Famous comedienne, Joan Rivers, who died unexpectedly on September 4, 2014, from what is alleged to be a ...

Lauren Bacall's Estate: Lessons in Avoiding Estate Planning Pitfalls

Legendary Hollywood actress Lauren Bacall died on August 12, 2014, leaving behind an estate estimated at ...

Robin Williams: A Lesson in Deeds, Not Words + One Error in Planning

One of the most eloquent responses to Robin Williams’ death came from his best friend Billy Crystal, who ...

Casey Kasem’s Estate Planning Not in Anyone’s Top 40

Casey Kasem, the celebrity radio host who counted down America’s Top 40 popular songs for years, died on ...

Legal Steps to Take When Facing a Dementia Diagnosis

Maria Shriver knows the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease firsthand. Her beloved father Sargent Shriver,...

Will the Inheritance You Leave Be a Blessing or an Albatross?

Rock musician Sting recently announced that his children will not inherit his estimated $300 million fort...

Law and Disorder: The Jerry Orbach Estate Battle

Jerry Orbach, who starred as Detective Lennie Briscoe in the popular “Law and Order” television series, d...

Another Actor’s Estate Plan Screwed Up By His Lawyer

Oscar-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman’s will has been filed for probate and provides a cautionary ta...

5 Fast & Furious Estate Planning Lessons from Paul Walker’s Estate | PFL®

Paul Walker, who starred in the Fast & Furious movie franchise, died tragically in a high speed car a...

Learn From the Expensive Mistakes & Smart Decisions Made By Actor James Gandolfini In Planning for His Estate

James Gandolfini, the actor best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano on HBO’s The Sopranos, died sudd...

6 Cases When a Trust is Better Than a Will

A will is one of the most basic estate planning documents, and everyone should have one to make sure that...

What You Can Learn From Three-Time NYC Mayor Ed Koch’s Will About Your Estate Planning

Three-time New York City Mayor Ed Koch died on Feb. 1, leaving an estate estimated between $10-$11 millio...

What We Can Learn From Downton Abbey About Estate Planning

Downton Abbey – the PBS drama about the fortunes and misfortunes of an aristocratic British family in the...

PFL® firms in your area

Hi, I’m Pam Starsia. I became a Personal Family Lawyer because I’m passionate about educating and empowering people to create estate, life, ...

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Juniper Law, PLLC

I became a Personal Family Lawyer to help people like you and families like yours plan for the future. Facing the potential for incapacity a...

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Das Law, PLLC

Let’s talk about your death . . . or incapacity. If something unfortunate happens, what will happen to your assets that you’ve worked so har...

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Legacy Lawyers, PLLC

Hi. I’m John W. Heck. I became a Personal Family Lawyer because I have seen the consequences of failed estate planning in my immediate famil...

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Edris Law

In my practice, I focus on Family Protection, Wealth Preservation, and Value-Based Planning. I’m also experienced with wealth planning strat...

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Brown Law Offices

Lisa Brown Esq. is the principal attorney for Brown Law Offices. She received her J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and ...

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Millennium Attorney

Naureen Rahman has been practicing law for over twenty years in the Maryland, DC-Metropolitan area. She has practiced across numerous sector...

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Reflections Life Planning, LLC

I love being able to guide my clients through a unique planning process that empowers them to live a financially fulfilling life now while e...

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I am an attorney dedicated to helping families in Virginia navigate the world of estate planning. With over 22 years of legal experience, I'...

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