This is out of a horror movie. A Kansas City attorney was recently charged with murder
for killing her father's girlfriend of 20 years. Her father was shot
and his girlfriend was repeatedly stabbed then shot at their vacation
home in 2010. Her father did not die from his wounds. The woman then
allegedly forged a health care power of attorney so she could withdraw
his medical support 4 days later. She was charged with his murder a
year ago. Apparently, she was concerned that her father would leave all
of his assets to his soon to be wife. In an odd but clarifying
footnote, her mother (her father's first wife), had spent 11 months in
jail for stealing $100,000 from her own mother by forging a power of
attorney 10 years ago.
Points?
1. If the father had wanted
to preserve assets for his daughter he could have executed a pre-nuptial
agreement to set forth which assets he would leave his soon to be wife
(and what would be left for his daughter).
2. Along the same
lines, he could have executed a trust to provide for his new wife while
leaving the remainder to his daughter after the wife's death.
3.
Preparing a health care power of attorney to address medical needs is
essential. So is ensuring that the person with that responsibility has
a copy of the document and is aware of the duties.
4. When a
daughter resents her father and his girlfriend, and her biological
mother has already stolen from her own mother, an active alarm system
and a multitude of security cameras would be a worthy investment. And
perhaps a Kevlar jacket.
