| Warren E. Burger: Guilty of Indifference | | | | federal and state taxes of more that $450,00! |
| | | | Most people would ask themselves…but he |
| | | | had a will, how could this be? Well, it |
| | | | wasn't the will's brevity, it wasn't even its |
| President, Perennial Financial Services | | | | spelling mistakes, that got his estate in |
| | | | trouble. It was the omission of the powers |
| Warren Earl Burger was born in Saint Paul, | | | | bestowed on the wills' executors, |
| Minnesota on September 17, 1907. He was one | | | | specifically the power to sell his real |
| of seven children. His grandfather, Joseph | | | | estate. He named his son and his former |
| Burger, became a soldier in the Union Army at | | | | assistant, a federal appellate judge, as |
| the age of 14 after emigrating from | | | | co-executors of his estate. The two of them |
| Switzerland. He fought bravely in the Civil | | | | were forced to go to court to obtain powers |
| War before being wounded and was then awarded | | | | to sell his real estate. The cost of which is |
| the prestigious Medal of Honor. Warren was | | | | deducted from the estate creating a wasted |
| raised on the family farm. He became active | | | | expense and a waste of time. |
| in sports and politics at a young age. He | | | | |
| attended John A. Johnson High School, where | | | | What could have been done differently? |
| he was president of the student council and a | | | | |
| member of the hockey, football, track and | | | | Well a number of things could have been done |
| swimming teams. He also found time to write | | | | to help reduce the unnecessary expenses and |
| articles on the schools sports teams for the | | | | possibly reduce his tax exposure. First, he |
| local newspaper. | | | | could have bestowed specific powers on the |
| | | | executors. If his children were wealthy, he |
| In his life he worked with the crew building | | | | could have set up a generation skipping |
| the Robert Street Bridge, which is a crossing | | | | trust, which would have allowed his children |
| of the Mississippi River in St. Paul that | | | | to avoid the $1.8 million from being taxed in |
| still exists, became the Chancellor of the | | | | their estates. He could have set up other |
| Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents, | | | | trusts to keep his assets private and cut |
| was the floor manager at the 1948 and 1952 | | | | down on probate costs. In many cases wills do |
| Republican conventions, was a member of the | | | | not avoid probate. Lastly, he could have made |
| U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of | | | | gifts in trusts to his children and/or |
| Columbia, President Eisenhower appointed him | | | | grandchildren that would have reduced his |
| Assistant Attorney General in charge of the | | | | estate, and saved on taxes even before he |
| Civil Division of the Justice Department, and | | | | passed. |
| most importantly he was the nations 15th | | | | |
| chief justice on the Supreme Court, serving | | | | For a free estate planning guide contact |
| for 17 years, the longest tenure in the 20th | | | | Joshua at (805)267-1162 or email him at . |
| century. | | | | |
| | | | This article is not intended to provide |
| He married Elvera Stromberg in 1933. They had | | | | specific advice or recommendations for any |
| two children, Wade Allen Burger and Margaret | | | | individual. Consult your financial advisor, |
| Elizabeth Burger. His wife died in May 1994. | | | | with questions. Joshua Daniel Mosshart and |
| Widowed, Burger took it upon himself to type | | | | the representatives of Perennial Financial |
| a one-page will on his personal computer. | | | | Services are registered representatives with |
| One year later in 1995, Burger passed at the | | | | and offering securities through Linsco |
| age of 87. At that point his estate was | | | | Private Ledger (LPL) Member NASD/SIPC. |
| valued at $1.8 million. The estate faced | | | | |