Tupac’s “Dead-Beat” Dad Not an Heir Under California Law

by Leslie Marenco | Mar 24, 2016 | Articles, Celebrity Estates, Estate Planning, Uncategorized, Wills

Tupac Shakur came to fame in large part due to his battles with police, inspiring lyrics in his first solo release so violent that Dan Quayle publicly denounced them.  In the same time frame, he was arrested five times for violent crimes, leading to numerous criminal...

Daughter of Fontainebleau Heir’s Killer — Wife Can Inherit?!

by Leslie Marenco | Feb 4, 2016 | Articles, Celebrity Estates, Inheritance, Real Property / Real Estate, Uncategorized

The story of Ben Novack, the heir to Fontainebleau hotel who was murdered by his wife, Narcy Novack, has received widespread media coverage and resulted in multiple litigations.  More than five years after Ben’s death, the fight for his fortune still continues....

Did Zuckerberg Really Give Away 99% of His Facebook Shares?

by Leslie Marenco | Dec 31, 2015 | Articles, Celebrity Estates, Estate Tax, High Net Worth, Income Tax, Trusts

Mark Zuckerberg has already changed the world we live in by giving us Facebook. Now he wants to change the world for future generations, too. He and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, recently announced that they would give 99 percent of their Facebook shares, worth more...

Big Bang Blonde: Will a Prenuptial Agreement Protect Kaley Cuoco From Ryan Sweeting?

by Leslie Marenco | Dec 15, 2015 | Articles, Asset Protection, Celebrity Estates, Uncategorized

The news broke that the divorce proceeding between the blonde Big Bang Theory actress Kaley Cuoco and professional tennis player Ryan Sweeting just became a great deal more complicated than originally anticipated – and that shouldn’t be surprising! Cuoco...

Mark Zuckerberg Did NOT Pledge 99% of His Facebook Stock to Charity–Here’s What He Did Instead & What He Could Do Even Better

by Leslie Marenco | Dec 11, 2015 | Articles, Asset Protection, Celebrity Estates

When I heard that Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, were donating 99 percent of their Facebook shares — currently worth more than $45 billion — to charity, I immediately assumed they had been the beneficiaries of smart family wealth planning advice and...

Fleecing the Elvis Presley Estate: Why You Really Do Need a Trust & to Trust the Trustee!

by Leslie Marenco | Oct 26, 2015 | Articles, Celebrity Estates, Trusts, Uncategorized

While the Elvis Presley costumes are running rampant during this Halloween season, let them be a reminder that a Last Will & Testament is not sufficient in itself for a complete estate plan except for our most modest clients.   The fees associated with the Presley...