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03.26.2024
Will Contest Based on Decedent’s Ability to Speak English Rejected
In re Estate of Bardizbanian, Docket No. A-3370-21 (N.J. Super. App. Div. Mar. 5, 2024) Siran Bardizbanian (“Decedent”) died on March 9, 2021. Decedent’s daughter, Maggie, sought to reject Decedent’s November 6, 2000 will (“2000 Will”), which disinherited her. Decedent’s son, Gary, was a proponent of the 2000 Will, of which he was the named […]
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03.22.2024
Appellate Division Invokes Cy Pres Doctrine to Further Decedent’s Charitable Intent
Matter of Estate of Heinecke, No. A-3604-21, 2024 WL 1125186 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. March 15, 2024) This case centers around the modification of a will under the cy pres doctrine. Barbara Heinecke (“Decedent”) died testate on April 9, 2021. The relevant portion of her Last Will and Testament dated January 19, 2012 (“Will”) […]
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03.20.2024
Tax Court Finds Self-Dealing Where Power of Attorney Withdrew IRA Funds For Her Own Benefit
Balint v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, T.C. Memo. 2023-118 (2023) Petitioner Joseph Michael Balint (“Petitioner”) brought suit against the IRS, for a tax assessment related to withdrawals made from his IRA and his life insurance by his spouse, Jacqueline Grimes Balint (“Jacqueline”), acting as his agent under a power of attorney. During the 2014 tax […]
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03.18.2024
Claims of Oral Will Rejected
In re Estate of Wasowicz, 2023 WL 8069402, No. A-3620-21 (N.J. Super. App. Div. Nov. 21, 2023) This case focused on whether an oral agreement made in 1987, 35 years prior to death, is akin to a Will or, in the alternative, can be an enforceable oral contract in New Jersey. From 1971 to 1987 […]
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Tara Hagopian Zane
Tara’s estate planning services include lifetime and end-of-life planning and related document preparation such as Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Directives, as well as lifetime giving, charitable planning, and business succession matters.