“Per Stirpes” Designations

Tag Archives: estate distribution

“Per Stirpes” Designations

“Per stirpes” is a method of distributing shares of an estate where the share of a deceased named beneficiary is divided among a person’s descendants. How it works Per stirpes translates to “by branch” in Latin. In a will, there may be the following language: “I leave [insert possession] to my descendants, per stirpes.” For […]

How Litigation Unfolded for Brooke Astor’s Multi-Million Dollar Estate

Multi-millionaire Brooke Astor lived to the age of 105 and left the majority of her estate to her only son, Anthony Marshall.  Upon his death, whatever remained would go to charities. Forbes magazine reported that her estate’s value was close to $200 million. A series of complicated legal battles ensued after her death, including the […]