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Welcome to the recently updated version of The Codicil, an Online Companion to The Estate Planning & Community Property Law Journal at The Texas Tech University School of Law.

Here you will find articles, comments, book reviews, case-law updates, and other pertinent information related to the fields of Estate Planning & Community Property. The site will explore facets of the articles published in our print edition and highlight additional topics of interest to practitioners.

Electronic Wills & The Internet: Is LegalZoom Involved In The Unauthorized Practice of Law or Is Their Success Simply Ruffling The Legal Profession's Feathers?

By: Brandon Schwarzentraub

Over the last twenty years, the Internet has revolutionized almost every aspect of our lives. Increased access to information has benefited private individuals and hurt major companies. For example, the ease of online bill paying has nearly put the post office out of business, and online shopping has virtually done away with the need to go to the actual store. In the legal profession, Lexis and Westlaw have done away with the need to have a paper law library. With the onset of online legal forms and services, the Internet is threatening to do away with the need to go into an attorney’s office for many transactional law services.

The Gratitude Effect

By: Peggy Hoyt, J.D. and Deborah E. Roser, J.D.

Gratitude is one of many emotions, like love and kindness, you can give and give endlessly. No matter how much you give, you will never run out. Everyone craves appreciation and, genuinely expressed, it can change lives. An interesting phenomenon exists—when we receive appreciation we are happy, but we are actually happier when we give appreciation. Why? Because when we feel appreciation, we’ve noticed something good. When we notice the good around us, there is less room in our heart and in our mind for the bad. The Law of Attraction says you can’t hold two opposing thoughts simultaneously and you’ll attract what you think about.

Cutting Up The Inherited Credit Card: Using Incentive Trusts To Deter Irresponsible and Unproductive Behavior In Potential Heirs

By: Mikela Bryant

As the richest country in the world, the United States is home to a large amount of monetary wealth. Where will this money go when the current holders of wealth are gone? A new generation of “trust-fund” babies are closely following the extravagant lifestyles of Hollywood “celebutantes,” relying on inheritances or trust funds as their sole means of income. They are a generation of “give me’s”—trust fund babies—accustomed to getting what they want when they want it. This air of entitlement stems from never having to work a day in their life and knowing they never will. They live foolishly, extravagantly, and irresponsibly off the hard work of their parents and grandparents. This lackadaisical and lavish lifestyle potentially leads to a new generation of trust fund babies who fail to become productive members of American society.

Consider Digital Estate Planning For Your Clients

By: Scott R. Zucker, J.D.

Digital estate planning is an area of law that is still in its infancy. However, it could be of great benefit for you to develop your knowledge and practical wisdom about digital estate planning to help you prepare for the ever-increasing demand for services in this area. This article will briefly identify some of the issues involving digital assets and several steps you and your clients can take to protect them. You may be surprised to find that the applicability of this topic is not limited to younger families and individuals.

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Main Menu

Resources

Welcome to the recently updated version of The Codicil, an Online Companion to The Estate Planning & Community Property Law Journal at The Texas Tech University School of Law.

Electronic Wills & The Internet: Is LegalZoom Involved In The Unauthorized Practice of Law or Is Their Success Simply Ruffling The Legal Profession's Feathers?

The Gratitude Effect

Cutting Up The Inherited Credit Card: Using Incentive Trusts To Deter Irresponsible and Unproductive Behavior In Potential Heirs

Consider Digital Estate Planning For Your Clients

Professor Beyer's Blog

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