Michael Clarke Duncan, Hollywood actor, has died at the age of 54. It was recently revealed after his divorce that the actor was in fact engaged to be married to reality star, Omarosa Manigault, 38 years old. It was reported that the actor suffered and ultimately died from a heart attack. Notably, Duncan’s professional career included an Academy Award nomination for his role in the famous movie, “The Green Mile.” Meanwhile, Manigault competed on Donald Trump’s “Apprentice” show in 2004. Read more about his life and tributes to the actor: http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/04/showbiz/michael-clarke-duncan/index.html?hpt=hp_c2
It is imperative to recognize the importance of estate planning in the event of a tragic death that is unexpected. If a decedent dies without a last will and testament, the estate is subject to intestacy by the New York Surrogate Court. Under the Estate Planning and Trusts Law (EPTL) 4.1-1, when a person dies without a last will and testament, all distribution, debts, administration expenses and reasonable funeral expenses will be deducted but all estate taxes shall be disregarded. Distribution of the estate shall then be as follows. If a decedent is survived by a spouse and issue, then fifty thousand dollars and one-half of the residue estate will go to the spouse, and the balance remaining will pass to the children. If a spouse dies without children, then the whole estate passes to the spouse. If there is no spouse and no children, then the whole estate will pass to one or both surviving parents. See: http://www.jdbar.com/Statutes/eptl-4-1_1.html
The attorneys at Leeds Brown Law, PC recognize the importance of proper estate planning, helping families properly plan estates in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island. For questions regarding estate planning, please contact an attorney at the Leeds Brown Law PC law firm for a free consultation at 1-800-585-4658 or visit the firm’s website at www.lbestatelaw.com
