It's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. Abraham Lincoln … [Read more...] about Thought for the Day:
Do You Need More Than a Simple Will?
If you think the fact that you do not have a small fortune means that you do not need estate planning, then you are not alone. That is a common belief. The truth is that in some situations, people do not need anything other than a simple Will and advanced medical directives. However, other situations require extensive estate planning, even for people who are not wealthy. For example, parents of children with special needs should have an estate plan designed in such a way that they can leave the … [Read more...] about Do You Need More Than a Simple Will?
Texas History – Do You Know What Famous Lyricist Served as Defense Counsel for Sam Houston?
Francis Scott Key, who wrote the words to the "Star Spangled Banner," was employed as defense counsel for Sam Houston. In 1832, before coming to Texas, Houston was insulted by a U.S. Congressman while serving as an Indian Agent in Washington. Houston encountered the Congressman on the street and assaulted him with his ever-present hickory cane. The Congressman filed charges against Houston, and Houston hired Key to defend him. Houston was found guilty and reprimanded. … [Read more...] about Texas History – Do You Know What Famous Lyricist Served as Defense Counsel for Sam Houston?
Thought for the Day:
It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. Mae Jemison … [Read more...] about Thought for the Day:
Reclaiming Copyrights
An Executor's duties consist in part of gathering all of the assets of an estate. Most of you probably know this. What you may not know is that part of doing that can consist of reclaiming copyrights that the deceased previously assigned to someone else. In 1976, Congress was concerned that artists were being taken advantage of and assigning the copyrights to their original works for far less than the copyrights were actually worth. In contrast to many things Congress does, there was actually … [Read more...] about Reclaiming Copyrights
Texas History – What Prominent Texas Family is Responsible for Putting Two Words in the Dictionary?
U.S. Representative Maury Maverick coined the word Gobbledygook after the gobbling of turkeys. Gobbledygook means "inflated, involved, and obscure verbiage characteristic of the pronouncements of officialdom," according to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. In 1944, Maverick wrote a memo to his staff in which he told them to stay away from wordy, unintelligible correspondence. "Don’t use so much gobbledygook." This memo was picked up by the press and printed in other publications, and the word … [Read more...] about Texas History – What Prominent Texas Family is Responsible for Putting Two Words in the Dictionary?
Thought for the Day:
It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. Confucius … [Read more...] about Thought for the Day:
Different Types of Living Trusts
People often come into estate planning attorneys' offices knowing that they would like to get a Living Trust. These are popular instruments for estate planning because they often have tax and probate-avoidance advantages. However, what people do not always know is that not all Living Trusts are exactly the same. The "Living" in the title does not tell you as much as some people think. First, there are two basic categories of Trusts: Living and Testamentary. All these categories tell you is when … [Read more...] about Different Types of Living Trusts
Texas History – Do You Know How the Brazos River Got Its Name?
A very poignant legend, accepted by most historians as fact, involves the explorer Francisco de Coronado, who in 1716, with his expedition party, wandered through Texas for days without water and would have died had a band of Indians not led them to a stream. Upon finding the water, a padre accompanying the expedition exclaimed, "los brazos de dios!" which means "the arms of God!" Thus, the life-saving body of water became the Brazos. … [Read more...] about Texas History – Do You Know How the Brazos River Got Its Name?
Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?
Milton C. Shedd (1922-2002) - Businessman & Philanthropist In a life that spanned almost 80 years, Milton Shedd spent more than 3,500 days on the ocean and extracted untold numbers of striped marlin and white sea bass. But he put back far more than the fish or the profits he took out as an experienced angler and manufacturer of fishing tackle. Shedd is one of the four UCLA fraternity brothers who founded Sea World and the creator of its research institute. Their joint interest in helping … [Read more...] about Famous Estates – Legacy Champ or Chump?
