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Sunday, October 4, 2015

What Happens When There is an Argument About Your Will?

Or, for that matter, about your Trust?  Well, the answer is that depending upon the issue, possible beneficiaries will make any argument they can think of, even that they need to be paid $7,500 per month to take care of your dog.  Check out The Hollywood Reporter on the late Sam Simon's Will

The article is not only interesting in a "lifestyles of the rich and famous" sense, but more detailed than many articles about disputes in estates, most of which skim the surface.

In this case, the late Sam Simon, a producer of the Simpsons TV show, was also a committed animal rights activist.  He supported many charities before his untimely death from colon cancer, and was unmarried without children when he passed away.

While the "how much can you spend on your dog?" angle is the entertainment hook, it is a perfect illustration of how even those who seek counsel and draft proper documents cannot guarantee that arguments won't come up later.

Here, its about alleged oral promises.  Should an oral promise be enforceable?  Generally the legal answer is "no" - but everything depends on the documents.

At Moravec, Varga & Mooney we help clients deal with these post-death arguments on a regular basis.  If you are a beneficiary or an Executor of an Estate or Trust, we can tell you all about your rights and duties.