Lois Pope, widow of the founder of the National Enquirer, is seeking a restraining order against her son for allegedly stalking her while demanding money. When the family sold the tabloid in 1988, Mrs. Pope received $200 million and her son received $20 million which she claims he spent by 2008. She gave him another $16 million which he has allegedly spent. In a television interview, he complained that she has spent $40+ million on 2 private jets, $2 million on international vacations, and made large gifts to nieces and nephews.
Several points:
1. A trust would have helped the son manage and preserve his funds.
2. The trust could have tied distributions to income earned by him which would have forced him to get a job, which apparently he has never held.
3. If the mom gave her son $16 million, she was obligated to file a gift tax return and pay taxes at a 35% - 45% rate.
4. If mom wants to buy planes and use them for flying her dogs around the country, she may do that and the son is powerless to complain.
5. If the son wants more money from his mom, he should refrain from criticizing her on television. The old axiom about not biting the hand that feeds would seem to apply.
