William Marcus Wilkerson, Attorney at law

I will be back in Court and the office on Monday, albeit with oxygen, but back nonetheless! The week before last I was in a murder trial and then was hospitalized on Wednesday. Thank you to all of you for your thoughts and prayers! If I owe you an order or you are waiting on me to review documents all I can do is beg your patience. I will try to catch up as quickly as possible but without candle at both ends. In the beginning I will have 10 hours of protable O2. If you have something you need me to address immediately, please do not hesitate to call or text (better option because even if I don't respond immediately, I will) me. A special thank you to everyone who stood in for me on various matters!

- Marcus

Our guide to estate taxes includes U.S. federal, state, and inheritance tax rules. Discover who pays and how much.

Estate Taxes: Who Pays? And How Much? Our guide to estate taxes includes U.S. federal, state, and inheritance tax rules. Discover who pays and how much.

the Supreme Court handed down a sweeping victory for Donald Trump

The Supreme Court just crushed any hope that Trump could be removed from the ballot This is the second major victory the Supreme Court handed Trump in less than one week.

As economic woes continue to pummel the housing industry, one real estate developer is finding opportunities within a new market – the "forever renters."

New real estate opportunity brewing as some Americans opt to rent, CEO says Post Brothers CEO Michael Pestronk discusses the renters market in big cities as the thought of being a forever renter attracts millennials and empty nesters.

When you are married, it’s common to intermingle your finances, open joint credit card or loan accounts or purchase a home, making it tough to figure out what happens to that debt in the divorce.

Who is responsible for debt after divorce? | Bankrate Discover what happens to debt when you get divorced.

Many of us have heard the statistic that roughly half of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. That statistic still holds true for first marriages. But if you’re going through a divorce, statistics are irrelevant: It’s your life that’s being impacted.

Five Tips if You’re Getting Divorced in 2024 Understanding the process and getting solid advice can help you achieve a better outcome.

Estate planning is an often overlooked topic during the financial planning process yet is a very important part of financial planning.

What Is Estate Planning? A Guide And FAQ For Investors Estate planning is an often overlooked topic during the financial planning process. Here's why that's a mistake.

The practice prioritizes efficiency over fairness and innocence, the American Bar Association says, and leads innocent people to be coerced into guilty pleas.

The vast majority of criminal cases end in plea bargains, a new report finds The practice prioritizes efficiency over fairness and innocence, the American Bar Association says, and leads innocent people to be coerced into guilty pleas.

Of all the things that need your attention when you’re going through a divorce, credit cards are probably low on your list. But making the right moves early on can set you up for a smooth return to managing credit as a single person.

Credit Cards and Divorce: What to Do With Your Cards During a Split - NerdWallet Sorting out your credit cards during a divorce can set you up for a smooth return to managing your credit as a single person.

Trusts offer estate planning and asset protection benefits that wills do not.

Understanding trusts: An important estate planning tool for everyday Americans Estate planning attorneys love trusts. Here’s why you might too.

What happens when you get a DUI varies based on where you live and other factors.

What Happens When You Get a DUI What happens when you get a DUI varies based on where you live and other factors. Getting a DUI may result in different consequences in different states.

Gray divorces are more common these days, and the financial impact of them may be greater than you think. https://bit.ly/3oN4oI1

Is it worth keeping your mortgage in a divorce?

Should I Keep The Mortgage In Divorce? Mortgage rates are higher than we've seen in decades. Assuming the marital home mortgage could be a viable option for those going through divorce and keeping the home.

Many states don’t set a deadline for executors to pay beneficiaries, but other deadlines can affect the timeline.

How Long Does the Executor Have to Pay the Beneficiaries? - NerdWallet There’s no standard deadline for paying beneficiaries of a will, but the probate process averages six to nine months. Many states have no deadlines at all.

The Justice Department’s No. 2 official is directing federal prosecutors to try imposing harsher penalties against criminals who’ve used AI to advance their misconduct.

Criminals Who Misuse AI Face Stiffer Sentences in DOJ Crackdown The Justice Department’s No. 2 official is directing federal prosecutors to try imposing harsher penalties against criminals who’ve used AI to advance their misconduct.

Tax breaks you could be eligible for after your divorce.

7 Overlooked Tax Breaks After Divorce That Could Save You Money You could be eligible for some tax breaks once your divorce is finalized. Keep reading to learn about what they are and how they may apply to your situation.

The consequences of backing out of a real estate contract before closing depend on a number of factors, such as how the contract is written and what contingencies are in place. A real estate attorney can advise you of your rights and obligations under the contract and assess potential courses of action.

Can A Seller Back Out Of A Real Estate Contract? | Bankrate Backing out of a signed contract might be possible, but it can have costly consequences if you don't do it right. Here's how.

It’s not always enough to have one person responsible for your future health

Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson’s conservatorship case highlights an important — and sometimes necessary — estate-planning tip It’s not always enough to have one person responsible for your future health.

A defendant who is found guilty but mentally ill may, at the discretion of the corrections department, be referred for mental health treatment.

Defendant acquitted by reason of insanity can't be retried, despite inconsistency, SCOTUS rules in Jackson opinion The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that Georgia can’t retry a defendant who was found not guilty of malice murder by reason of insanity, even though the verdict was inconsistent with jury findings on other charges.

Couples may sign a postnuptial agreement to protect an inheritance, provide for a stay-at-home spouse, assign ownership of a business, repay a parental gift, or salvage a marriage.

What Is a Postnuptial Agreement? How It Works and What's Included A postnuptial agreement is created by spouses after entering into marriage to outline the division of financial assets in the event of a divorce.

More than 1 in 3 divorced Americans say credit card debt played a role in their decision to divorce their spouse, according to a recent survey. And of those who blame credit card debt as a primary factor in their divorce, 7 in 10 say that their ex-spouse hid the debt from them.

How Credit Card Debt Is Linked to Divorce Many divorced Americans point to credit card debt and hidden spending as reasons for the split.

The federal estate tax ranges from rates of 18% to 40% and generally only applies to assets over $13.61 million in 2024. But several states and the District of Columbia have their own estate tax, with lower asset thresholds than the federal government. A few states have an inheritance tax, which is paid by inheritors upon receiving the inherited assets.

Guide to Estate Tax: Definition, What to Know - NerdWallet The federal estate tax is a tax that's levied on your assets after you die. Most estates don't require filing an estate tax return unless the assets are over $12.92 million in 2023 or $13.61 million in 2024.

Although the process may vary somewhat from state to state, these are the steps that most criminal cases follow until their case is resolved.

The 10 Stages of a Criminal Case If you have been arrested for a crime, you are at the beginning of what could become a long journey through the criminal justice system.

A new report estimates that the number of people on electronic monitoring has more than tripled since 2015. The growth has been driven in part by a steady increase in the use of electronic monitoring in the criminal justice system.

Ankle monitors and iPhone apps: New data reveals just how huge America’s digital jails have become New research finds that the number of people being placed on electronic monitoring has tripled since 2015, ballooning to half a million people in 2022.

Divorces in the U.S. have been declining over the past decade, though the divorce rate saw an increase of 3.6% between 2021 and 2022, according to the most recent census data. The rates also vary significantly between states.

These Are the States With the Highest Divorce Rates Happy Valentine’s Day, America. Your divorce rates are ticking up.

A living trust involves transferring your assets into the trust, often appointing yourself as trustee. Making a living trust part of your estate plan has advantages and disadvantages. If you're considering using a trust, it's highly advisable to work with an experienced estate attorney who can guide you through the process.

3 Reasons to Seriously Consider Using a Living Trust to Pass Inheritance to Your Family | The Motley Fool How a living trust can help secure your legacy seamlessly and quietly.

“Bird nesting” is a co-parenting arrangement where the kids stay in the family home, and the parents split their time between that house and a different one. While still an uncommon arrangement, it does appear to be on the rise, and it offers potential benefits, as well as challenges, for children and parents.

Which Parent Should Keep the House After Divorce? "Bird Nesting" Parents Say Both Experts explain how kids can benefit from this unique co-parenting situation.

Your options for handling the marital home in divorce may depend on how the home is financed or titled, among other factors. Before choosing any particular course of action, consider the long-term financial impacts.

Divorce And Your Mortgage: Here’s What To Know | Bankrate One of the biggest decisions divorcing couples face is who gets the house in a divorce. Here's what to know about divorce and your mortgage.

Estate planning is a powerful phrase with a simple aim: To create a plan to protect yourself and your loved ones in the event of sickness, accidents or death.

Estate Planning: Create Your Legacy Estate planning is not only for the wealthy, it's for everyone. Here's how you can get started.

Although the police can get creative when trying to get a confession, there are theoretical limitations. If you're in police custody, it's generally wise to request a lawyer and refuse to answer questions until they arrive.

Lies the Police Can Legally Tell You (and How to Respond) Are you a cop? You have to tell me if you're a cop! Unfortunately, no, they do not have to tell you if they're a cop.