William E. Boeing (1881-1956) - Aviation Pioneer William Boeing was an American aviation pioneer who founded The Boeing Company. In 1916, Boeing co-founded B & W with George Conrad Westervelt. Boeing also founded the Pacific Aero Products Company, which produced the Boeing Model 1 airplane. In 1917,when America entered the First World War, Boeing changed the name of Pacific Aero Products Company to Boeing Airplane Company. The company obtained orders from the United States Navy for 50 … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

Helen Grace Hunt (1949- ) and Swanee LaKelly Hunt (1950- ) - Philanthropists The Hunt sisters, daughters of Texas oil mogul H.L. Hunt, were born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Swanee Hunt has a BA in philosophy, two master's degrees, and a doctorate in theology. Hunt is also an expert on women in politics, having conducted research, training, and consultations with women leaders in some 60 countries. She is the chair of the Washington-based Institute for Inclusive Security (including … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

Philip Berber (1958- ) - Businessman & Philanthropist Philip Berber is an Irish millionaire and philanthropist. Berber attended University College Dublin and graduated with a Business Communication degree. In 1984, he set up a high-tech London-based company, Financia, which was bought in 1991 by Frontier Financial of Houston. Berber set up CyberCorp in 1995, and it was one of the first online trading firms for retail investors. In 2000, he sold the firm to Charles Schwab in 2000 for … [Read more...] about Erle Stanley Gardner (1889-1970) – Lawyer & Author Erle Gardner was an American lawyer and author of detective stories, like his best-selling Perry Mason series. He attended law school for approximately one month, then settled in California where he became a self-taught attorney and passed the state bar exam in 1911. He opened his own law office in Merced, California, then worked for five years for a sales agency. In 1921, he returned to the practice of law, creating the firm of Sheridan, Orr, Drapeau and Gardner in Ventura, California. Gardner later gave up the practice of law to devote full-time to writing. Even though Gardner gained popularity with his detective series, consider what happened to his estate. 35% Shrinkage of the Estate $1,795,092 Gross Estate $ 636,705 Total Settlement Cost $1,158,387 Final Estate Value Erle Gardner was a famous author, but even well-known authors an fail to properly plan. If you want to minimize your estate planning taxes and/or avoid the probate process, then contact The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. for a free initial consultation on estate planning, trust planning, and/or probate issues.

John Paul Jones DeJoria (1944- ) - Businessman & Philanthropist John Paul DeJoria is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist best known as a co-founder of the Paul Mitchell line of hair products and The Patron Spirits Company. After going through a rough adolescence, DeJoria fought to overcome his tribulations. After two years in the Navy, followed by a series of jobs ranging from janitor to insurance salesman, he entered the world of hair care as an employee of Redken … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959) - Film Director & Producer Cecil DeMille was an American film director and film producer in both silent and sound films. DeMille began his career as a stage actor in 1900. He later moved on to writing and directing stage productions. He directed his first film, The Squaw Man, released in 1914, and would go on to direct dozens of silent films before transitioning to sound films in 1929. DeMille was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies. … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

Eli Broad (1933- ) - Businessman & Philanthropist Graduating cum laude from Michigan State University, with a degree in accounting, Eli Broad went on to become the youngest Michigan resident to have attained the credentials of Certified Public Accountant (CPA). In 1957, Broad went into business with Donald Kaufman, who was a home builder and related to Broad’s wife, Edythe. Broad financed his end of the enterprise with $25,000 borrowed from his wife’s parents, which eventually led to … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

Dean G. Witter (1887-1969) - Businessman Dean Witter was a U.S. businessman who co-founded Dean Witter & Company, which became the largest investment house on the West Coast. In 1914, Witter partnered with Charles Blyth to found Blyth, Witter & Co., a San Francisco based brokerage. In 1924, Witter left the partnership to form his own company, Dean Witter & Company, with his brother Guy. In its early years, Witter focused on dealing in municipal and corporate bonds. The company was highly … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

“The things you do for yourself are gone when you are gone, but the things you do for others remain as your legacy.” Kalu Ndukwe Kalu … [Read more...] about Thought for the Day:

Frank O’Dea is a Canadian entrepreneur, humanitarian, author, and public speaker. O’Dea’s adolescence and young adulthood were filled with many hardships, being homeless and having to panhandle until he was able to live in 50-cent-a-night flop houses in Toronto’s bowery district where simply surviving was a challenge. After many years of struggling, and an abundant amount of hope and perseverance, O’Dea was able to overcome the impediments in his life, and, in 1975, he co-founded The Second … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?

Nora Ephron (1941-2012) - Producer & Screenwriter Nora Ephron was an American journalist, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, director, and blogger. A talented writer and director, Ephron is known for her successful romantic comedies, such as When Harry Met Sally (1989) and Sleepless in Seattle (1993). The daughter of writers, she grew up in Los Angeles, and went east to go to school at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Gifted with a sharp wit, Ephron first made her … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?