Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes! http://www.bankrate.com/lite/celebrity-money/celebrity-estate-planning-mistakes-1.aspx

Famous actress and model Marilyn Monroe left most of her estate to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg. When he died, his interest in Marilyn's estate went to his third wife, who did not even know Marilyn. Marilyn's mistake was not putting her assets in trusts. Strasberg's third wife, Anna, eventually hired a company to license Monroe's products, which involved hundreds of companies including Mercedes-Benz and Coca-Cola. In 1999, many of Monroe's belongings were auctioned off, including the gown she wore to President John F. Kennedy's birthday party, for more than $1 million. Strasberg ended up selling the remainder of the Monroe estate to another branding company for an estimated $20 million to $30 million, according to a remembrance of the star by NPR in 2012.

A trust would have provided for Strasberg while he was alive and then after his death could have directed the remainder of her estate to someone of her choosing.

Dangers of Do-it-yourself Legal "Help" Sites. Excellent article by Michael Brennan, Attorney at Law (see his excellent website, thevirtualattorney.com) on the dangers of using do-it-yourself legal help sites. Highly Recommended! http://thevirtualattorney.com/blog/i-think-i-need-will-so-why-not-use-legalzoom

Our "Dear Leader" Wants to Increase the Estate Tax

Uncle Sam giveth and then tries to take away. At the beginning of 2013, Congress set the current estate tax exemption at $5,250,000 per person ($10,500,000 per married couple). Now, President Obama, in his latest budget proposal, seeks to DECREASE that exemption to $3,500,000 and raise the top estate tax rate from 40% to 45%! (Why am I not surprised?). Read the story, here: 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/10/obama-budget-resurrects-estate-tax/

Thoughts on How to Die! Great article by Dr. Ken Murray about how doctors choose to die. Careers in medicine have taught them the limits of treatment and the need to plan for the end. Though they have great access to the best medical treatment, many choose to die serenely and with quality of life rather than merely extending it at any cost. 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203918304577243321242833962.html 

Review your Estate Plan Inexpensively. When did you last review your estate plan? Are your titles and beneficiary designations worded correctly? Does your trust language conform to the new estate tax law taking effect in 2013? Are you wary of the cost? For $79, we'll review your documents them (in office or by phone) and make recommendations about any needed changes. Most attorneys charge $200 - $300 per hour for this service. Our low review fee is our commitment to help you and your loved ones remain protected, affordably! Are your friends and relatives protected? We also extend this offer to them and will review their estate plan for $79 (less than their own attorney might charge!), or, if they have not yet done their planning, their first consultation is complimentary. Call us at (801) 262-8889 for an appointment.

Visualize  your death! No, I'm not suggesting you spend your day thinking morbid thoughts about your demise, but that you consider--in detail--how your estate would be administered after you're gone. Do you have a business? Who will dispose of it or continue to run it if you can't? Is there a market (i.e., buyers) for it? What about your rental properties? Is your successor trustee capable of managing them? Should they be left equally to all your heirs, possibly causing a "stalemate" if some want to sell and others don't? Or would it be better to leave individual properties to specific members of your family? If you own a family cabin, should you leave it outright to your family or require it to be held in trust for their use (under specific conditions)? Will your estate have sufficient liquidity (i.e., cash!) to accomplish your objectives, such as educating minors or providing for loved ones? If not, can illiquid assets (real estate, etc.) be quickly sold to provide it, or, should you consider purchasing life insurance? After recording your planning objectives in your trust or will, reflect carefully--visualize--how those objectives actually will be implemented. Finally, will the person you've chosen to settle your estate (i.e., your successor trustee or personal representative) bring efficiency and harmony to the process? Can he or she delegate duties if necessary and provide proper accounting to your heirs? Or, will his or her stewardship foment "family civil war?" 

The Forbes 2013 Guide To Estate Planning - Great source for estate planning information! 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/janetnovack/2012/10/14/the-forbes-guide-to-estate-planning/

Fun reading! Famous Last Words of Entertainers. http://theweek.com/article/index/239799/the-surprising-last-words-of-11-entertainers

Charles Dickens' Humility. Charles Dickens, the author of great literary works such as Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities, had a rather humble will. Here's an excerpt of the last few lines of his will. 

"I emphatically direct that I be buried in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner; that no public announcement be made of the time or place of my burial; that at the utmost not more than three plain mourning coaches be employed; and that those who attend my funeral wear no scarf, cloak, black bow, long hat-band, or other such revolting absurdity. I direct that my name be inscribed in plain English letters on my tomb, without the addition of 'Mr.' or 'Esquire.' I conjure my friends on no account to make me the subject of any monument, memorial, or testimonial whatever. I rest my claims to the remembrance of my country upon my published works, and to the remembrance of my friends upon their experience of me in addition thereto. I commit my soul to the mercy of God through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and I exhort my dear children humbly to try to guide themselves by the teaching of the New Testament in its broad spirit, and to put no faith in any man's narrow construction of its letter here or there. In witness whereof I the said Charles Dickens, the testator, have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand this 12th day of May in the year of our Lord 1869." 

His complete will is at: http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/CD-Forster-13.html