Check out our September newsletter!
09/23
THE MOTTLEY CREW REVIEW
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011
DUSTY BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 10 YEARS AGO, THIS SPONTANEOUS PURCHASE CHANGED MY LIFE!
Almost exactly 10 years ago, I was relaxing in my office after settling a big case. I kicked my feet up, stared out the window, and thought, “What should I do now?” For some reason, the first thing that came to mind was “Buy a mandolin” — so I did it! I left the office that minute, drove to a local music store, and purchased a modestly priced entry-level instrument. I’ve always loved bluegrass mandolin music, so buying one seemed like the next logical step in my appreciation. But when I got home with the instrument under my arm, my wife looked at me like I was crazy! She was probably right to be alarmed because since then, I’ve tortured the entire family with the screeching and squawking of my mandolin escapades. It takes a lot of patience to share a house with someone learning an instrument. We grin and bear it when our kids are little because we’re usually the ones encouraging them to pound away on the piano or struggle through playing the guitar. But an adult learning an instrument doesn’t get the same benefit of the doubt. I’m sure there were times when my wife and kids listened to me plucking away in the basement (I tried to hide out there when I could) or the corner of my wife’s office and wondered, “Will he ever learn?”
of a roller coaster as the stock market. But, like the stock market, it’s slowly getting better over time. I go through periods of intense practice when my work is slow, and then the instruments gather dust for a few months when I don’t have the time or energy to deal with them. Ultimately, though, I always get back in the saddle! “She was probably right to be alarmed because since then, I’ve tortured the entire family with the screeching and squawking of my mandolin escapades.” Last year, I even started taking weekly lessons. Every Wednesday, I left my law office and headed straight to my teacher’s basement, where he taught me the music theory behind the mandolin. I learned finger patterns, scales, modes, keys, and arpeggios and figured out how they all fit together on the mandolin fretboard. It was fascinating! I love learning about the theory and history of the instrument almost as much as I love playing it. (Fun fact: Early versions of the mandolin date back to medieval times, and it’s a key instrument in different styles of Irish, Brazilian, Italian, and American music.) I kept up my weekly lessons until this April when I finally cried uncle and put them on pause to focus on a complex trial. Now, my mandolins are dusty but not forgotten — I’m finally getting back in the groove. If you have an on-again-off-again hobby like this, here’s my advice: No matter how busy your life gets or how long you have to take a break from your activity, don’t quit! A hobby is a journey; even virtuosos, prodigies, and professionals are always learning. There’s no shame in improving slowly. As one of my teachers, Mike Marshall, puts it, “A professional musician is a flower fully in bloom, and a beginner is a bud. Both are beautiful — they’re just in different places on their journey.”
Ten years on, I’m proud to say that I have learned — at least a little. My relationship with my mandolins (yes, I now have several!) has been as much
Best of luck, and remember, keep playing!
–Kevin Mottley
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | 1
AI SCAMS: VOICE CLONING COULD DRAIN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT!
With AI capabilities growing daily, you need to be even more vigilant against potential scammers. We’ve already heard about AI’s power to create written content and, more recently, use musicians’ voices to sing different songs. So, how does this relate to scammers? Well, TikTok users and other online users have shared a new scam that utilizes AI to drain the bank accounts of their family members called voice cloning. Scammers looking to steal thousands of dollars will use AI to replicate the voices of people who’ve posted their voices online via videos like TikTok. They’ll clone a person’s voice and then use it to call their relatives and
pretend to be their children or grandchildren who need money as soon as possible. The person on the phone is a scammer, not your family member, even though they sound just like them. Never send money without first verifying whether it is or isn’t your relative. Some online users advise creating secret code words to exchange over the phone to confirm their family member is requesting the money. Always contact your relative and ask if they actually made the call. Remember, anyone who has posted a short clip of their voice can find it cloned with AI and used to scam their families. Stay safe!
THE VERDICT IS IN: Aretha Franklin’s ‘Couch Cushion Will’ Won in Court!
The drama played out for four full years. At one point, Kecalf even accused the person elected to run his mother’s estate of mismanagement, leading her to resign from her position. Finally, the battle came to an end this summer. On July 11, a jury in Michigan decided that Franklin’s now-famous “couch cushion will” represents her “true wishes.” (Fun fact: Handwritten wills are also considered valid here in Virginia. They just have to be entirely in the relevant person’s handwriting, signed by that person, and confirmed by two witnesses.) With this verdict, $8 million of the Queen of Soul’s estate will likely go to the IRS, and three of her sons will split the rest of her assets. Kecalf will receive the lion’s share (including his mom’s $1.1 million home and fancy cars). He, Edward, and Theodore will support their brother Clarence, who has a mental illness.
When superstar singer Aretha Franklin passed away in 2018, she left behind not one, not two, but four different wills! You’d think that would be enough to explain her wishes, but there was a problem: They contradicted each other. Franklin only created one of the wills with help from a lawyer — and it was an unsigned draft. The other three were handwritten pages hidden around Franklin’s home. Her heirs found one (created in 2010) locked away safely in a cabinet and another (dating from 2014) tucked between the cushions of Franklin’s couch! Each will called for a different distribution of Franklin’s $18 million estate among her four sons (Clarence, Edward, Kecalf, and Theodore), so their discovery kicked off a yearslong probate battle. Not only did the brothers vie for their preferred wills, but the IRS also claimed a piece of Franklin’s estate.
Aretha Franklin’s probate case was unusual, but ordinary families end up in estate disputes all of the time. If you ever need to contest a will or root out trustee or executor misconduct like Kecalf did in this case, call our firm at (804) 823-2011 . We’re experts at resolving these issues and helping families move on.
2 | (804) 823-2011
SUDOKU
Expert Guidance Makes Estate Planning Easy!
4 Things to Know About the Power of Attorney Are you writing your will, creating a trust, or planning to soon? If so, you need to know these four things about the Power of Attorney and how to use it wisely. 1. What is a Power of Attorney? A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document that gives someone else the right to act on your behalf. This person — often called your “agent” — can do things like sign your
SOLUTION
checks, pay your bills, make monetary gifts, and more. With a “durable” POA, they can even manage your business and property if you become incapacitated.
2. Do I need a POA?
Yes! You should complete a Power of Attorney while creating your estate plan because having an agent makes it much easier for your family and friends to handle your affairs if you’re overwhelmed by an injury or illness. Without a POA, you might fall behind on payments or other financial obligations.
COZY FRENCH ONION SOUP
3. How do I choose the right agent? As the American Bar Association rightly puts it, “Integrity, not financial acumen, is often the most important trait of a potential agent.” That means instead of asking yourself, “Which of my family members/ friends is best with money?” you should ask, “Who do I trust most?” You can choose any capable adult who fits the bill. 4. Are two agents better than one? Some estate planning lawyers will ask you to choose two agents to act as checks and balances on each other. This sounds like a great idea, but it often backfires. If you give two people powers of attorney, they can turn on each other, arguing about how much latitude they have and how best to spend your money. This infighting might not impact you personally if you’re incapacitated, but it can make executing your wishes stressful for your family. To spare them the drama, stick to one agent you can trust. Still have questions? We can help! Our firm doesn’t create estate plans, but we do handle estate disputes and regularly advise our clients about powers of attorney, trust documents, and more. If we can’t answer your question, we’ll direct you to a trustworthy expert who can.
INGREDIENTS • 5 tbsp olive oil, divided • 1 tbsp butter • 8 cups sliced onions • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 1/2 cup port wine
• 2 32-oz cartons beef broth • Salt and pepper, to taste • 24 slices baguette (1/2-inch thick) • 3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, then reduce heat. Occasionally stir until brown (around 30 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. 2. Stir in wine and bring to a boil. When liquid has reduced by half, add broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 400 F. On a baking sheet, brush baguette slices with remaining oil. Bake until golden (3–5 minutes each side). 4. In 12 broiler-safe 8-oz bowls, place 2 toast slices and pour soup into each. Top with cheese and broil until melted.
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
8001 Franklin Farms Drive, Suite 125 Richmond, Virginia 23229
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
www.MottleyLawFirm.com | (804) 823-2011
1
Inside Kevin’s 10-Year Journey With the Mandolin
2
AI Scams: Voice Cloning Could Drain Your Bank Account! The Crazy Fight Over Aretha Franklin’s $18 Million Estate Why You Need a Power of Attorney — and How to Do It Right Cozy French Onion Soup
3
4
Money-Saving Hacks for Your Fall Garden
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THESE STEPS! GROW A THRIVING GARDEN WHILE SAVING MONEY
Step 2: Add sticks and small logs. Similar to cardboard, adding sticks and logs will prevent weeds and other invasive plants from growing in your garden. And these limbs and twigs will provide much-needed bulk, minimizing the amount of soil needed to fill your containers.
While it may be the fall season now, the temperature is still warm enough to encourage root growth for a garden! During the fall, you can plant blueberries, broccoli, garlic, radishes, spinach, lettuce, and several flowers such as asters, calendulas, and cosmos.
Step 3: Sprinkle grass clippings and shredded leaves.
However, planting can become expensive, especially if you have large metal raised beds for your garden. It may take several bags of soil to fill your garden bed, which can quickly put a dent in your wallet. Is there anything you can do to save money? Yes! Follow these four steps and watch your garden — and greenbacks — flourish.
Nitrogen and carbon are essential to any garden because plants need nutrients to grow. While you can purchase nitrogen fertilizer at the store, recycling grass clippings and shredded leaves is a cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative. You can also toss food scraps on this layer for additional nutrients! Step 4: Top with soil and compost. Finally, you can begin adding your soil. Because the bed is filled with other materials, you won’t need as much! After applying a good amount of soil, you can add compost to the mix if desired.
Step 1: Lay down cardboard. After setting up your raised garden bed, add a layer of cardboard (any type of cardboard will do) to the bottom of it. This layer will prevent weeds lurking in the dirt underneath the cardboard from sprouting and growing in the soil you will add later.
Once everything is to your liking and your beds are full of soil and nutrients, you’re ready to plant. Happy harvesting, everyone!
4 | (804) 823-2011
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator