Today’s New York Times has reported the indictments of Anthony D.Marshall, 83 year old son of the late Brooke Astor together with Francis X. Morrissey Jr. Esq. ,a former lawyer of the socialite who passed away in August at the age of 105. The two are charged with irregularities dealing with their activities involving the handling of her financial affairs.Continue Reading Brooke Astor’s Son and Attorney Indicted

Law Professor Gerry Beyer’s Wills, Trusts and Estates Prof Blog has picked up on an interesting story about billionaire Warren Buffet which ran recently on CNN. Testifying at a recent Senate hearing, Buffet voiced his opinion that efforts to end the estate tax are misguided and wrong for a variety of reasons.
Continue Reading Warren Buffet Opposes Ending Estate Tax

Chutzpah has been defined as pleading for mercy on the grounds that one is an orphan after killing both parents. Condemned killer Scott Peterson gives this new meaning after daring to apply for the benefits from the life insurance policy of his wife Lacie. This story is set forth in some detail in a recent…

Today’s New York Times has reported that the settlement talks being held in the Westchester County Surrogate’s Court to attempt to resolve the dispute over Brook Astor’s Estate have been put on hold while the New York County District Attorney presents the case to a Grand Jury for possible criminal action.Continue Reading Astor Estate Goes To Manhattan Grand Jury

The New York Times has reported that a Manhattan grand jury may be asked to investigate whether or not crimes were committed in the case involving 104 year old socialite Brooke Astor.As reported here last year, questions raised about irregularities in administration of the assets of the multi-millionaire heiress by her son Anthony Marshall as…

The PA Elder,Estate & Fiduciary Law Blog has reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has become interested in certain will contests and  estate litigation . While most of us do not think of this as an area that would capture the attention of an ambitions FBI Agent, the Bureau’s website might lead us to…

Sometimes even a superstar flares out. Such was the determination of a New York jury which found that attorney Jonathan Blattmachr had breached his fiduciary duty by recommending a plan to avoid estate tax by purchasing life insurance pursuant to a method known as a"split dollar insurance arrangement" to Henry Schein, one of…

As a rather interesting post-script to the earlier accounts of socialite Brooke Astor, an inventory filed by J.P Morgan Chase values her assets at 130.9 million dollars. Today’s New York Times gives the detailed inventory of the wealth of Ms. Astor who will celebrate her 105th birthday this Friday. Last fall, it was reported here that Ms. Astor had become the center of a court battle between her son Anthony Marshall and her grandson with charges of elder abuse and neglect raising the awareness of the need to protect the safety and rights of our oldest members of society –especially those who may not have a nine figure bank account.
Continue Reading Inventory Values Brooke Astor’s Net Worth At 130.9 Million Dollars