In an interesting piece from two years ago, NPR’s Planet Money, covered a town in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where you’re unusual if you don’t have a plan for your death. Some 96 percent of people who die in La Crosse have an advance directive or similar documentation. Nationally, only about 30 percent of adults have […]

In a case of first impression, the New Jersey Supreme Court has reversed a decision it made two years ago to disbar an attorney for knowingly misappropriating $100,000 from an elderly client. Read the entire New Jersey Law Journal article here: http://www.njlawjournal.com/home/id=1202772817493?slreturn=20161021124020

By: Frank R. Demmerly, Jr., Esq. and Richard J. Contant, Esq. Ever since 2001, New Jersey has imposed an estate tax with an exemption of $675,000 and a tax rate on the remainder of up to 16%.  The New Jersey Legislature has just passed, and the Governor just signed, legislation which will phase-out the New […]

Steven K. Mignogna, a Shareholder in Archer & Greiner’s Haddonfield office, will be speaking on “The Uniform Trust Code” for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education. The seminar is being held on June 27th from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Mt. Laurel, NJ. This seminar will enable […]

The Estate of Prince Rogers Nelson, the artist known as “Prince,” is currently the focus of a battle over the distribution of his assets, estimated to be valued at more than $100 million.  Prince is believed to have died without any will, although the Judge in Carver County, Minnesota is giving his family time to […]

The New York Times analyzes a recent case out of Massachusetts that spotlights the importance of who signs a nursing home contract. New York Times – “Pivotal Nursing Home Suit Raises a Simple Question: Who Signed the Contract?” http://www.archerlaw.com/files/arbitration%20clause%20in%20nursing%20home%20contracts.pdf    

Mistakes made by an executor can lead to the executor getting sued.  On February 1, 2016, The Wall Street Journal wrote an article entitled The Biggest Mistakes Estate Executors Make  http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-biggest-mistakes-executors-make-1454295683, and listed some of the biggest mistakes executors want to avoid.

Leona Helmsley died in 2007 leaving behind nearly $4.8 billion in assets.  The four executors of her estate, including two of her grandchildren, have sought $100 million to cover their costs of dealing with her many bequests.   The Attorney General is contesting their fees.  The Attorney General suggests that the payment to the executors be […]

When Robin Williams tragically took his own life in August of 2014, his family was grieving and his estate planning documents came under immediate scrutiny.  Williams left a wife (Susan Schneider Williams) whom he had married in October of 2011, and three adult children, Zachary, Zelda and Cody, from previous marriages.  Williams had adequately planned […]

SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY APPELLATE DIVISION DOCKET NO. A-1099-13T1 Decided December 2, 2015 This dispute focused on the beneficiary designations for life insurance policies. Plaintiff Madeline Fromageot was the widow of decedent Paul Fromageot.  He died in 2004.  In 1996, the decedent completed an “enrollment card” which authorized his employer to deduct monies from […]