Posted on 07/02/2008 6:09:56 PM PDT by DemonDeac
"Sure, the hotelier and real estate magnate Leona Helmsley left $12 million in her will to her dog, Trouble. But that, it turns out, is nothing much compared with what other dogs may receive from the charitable trust of Mrs. Helmsley, who died last August."
"Her instructions, specified in a two-page “mission statement,” are that the entire trust, valued at $5 billion to $8 billion and amounting to virtually all her estate, be used for the care and welfare of dogs, according to two people who have seen the document and who described it on condition of anonymity."
"Even if the resulting total is at the low end of the estimate — $5 billion or so — the trust will be worth almost 10 times the combined assets of all 7,381 animal-related nonprofit groups reporting to the Internal Revenue Service in 2005."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
And from what I gather on my limited knowledge, the vultures are trying to take the cash. She wanted to take care of dogs, so what. It was her money and her prerogative on where it should go. I hate vultures.
Dogs are good . Her rotten family were not as good to her as her dogs .
Woof!
At least she didn’t leave to some nitwit socialist foundation.
Hey, we already knew she was one of the meanest people in the world. Want to be she was a Democrat?
woof woof
My dog is in need of some cash. A million should do it. Where does he apply?
Good for her.
It is/was her money. She can spend it as she wishes before and after her demise.
Bumper Sticker: The better I get to know some people, the more I love my dog.
She gave as good as she got. Maybe better.
They are so cute!!!
He came with our last house, very expensive but they threw the house in for nothing. He died last year at 16 according to the vet records. Near as we can figure he was a Malamute/Collie mix. He was an amazing dog for whom we were not worthy...I can’t begin to describe his attributes...he was a true conservative. The Corgi, on the other hand, was a liberal to his bones, always looking for a hand out.
“Only the little people pay taxes”
But lawyers say that the trustees of Mrs Helmsley’s charitable trust – set up to distribute her fortune after her death – have the discretion to spend the money elsewhere.
I used the past tense for the Corgi, he is still with us at almost 13, and a joy in spite of his politics.
I’m glad it was for dogs. If it was for cats, I’d be pissed.
The billionaire of this world should stop using their money to tell me how to live and use their money directly to offer the socialized medicine for the poor, elderly, and young that they feel I need to be paying to support.
But it sure makes them feel good to have "done" something.
got Fleas...
From the death blog
"When Harry died in 1997, he left Leona his entire fortune, worth about $1.7 billion.
Despite all the bad press, Leona truly loved her dog, Trouble. In her 14-page will, she bequeathed the 8-year-old Maltese to her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, and provided a $12 million trust to pay for the dog's care. Rosenthal will also get $10 million in a trust and another $5 million outright.
Her grandsons, David and Walter Panzirer, will receive $5 million each outright and another $5 million in trusts, provided they visit their father's grave every year. Her other two grandchildren, Craig and Meegan Panzirer, and all 12 of her great-children were disinherited.
The rest of her fortune, including the proceeds from the sale of all her residences and belongings, will be given to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust".
All her money did NOT go to the dogs.
sw
I have a dog....send me money.
I agree. She left her estate to a worthy cause.
I see dogs as God’s reminder to us of what pure, unconditional love is supposed to be. I believe man has a responsibility to protect them and be good to them.
Apparently, Leona did too. Good for her.
So money was left to her brother and to two of her grandsons. She/he/they must have had children to have grandsons. Were they disinherited?
Maybe she was a misanthrope, but maybe she also had a point there. I think she knew who her real friends were. Probably everyone she met other than Trouble had big $$s in their eyes.
Her son predeceased her.
To be fair, however, this is Leona's wishes and I really see no problem in this case.
She didn't elaborate why she disinherited her grand children.
My guess is the kids were selfish and also didn't show much love or respect for their living or dead relatives.
sw
Thank you. I think you are right. The grandkids probably were spoiled and did not show respect.
What is not reported is that she specified it be used only to benefit female dogs, and that she felt she was responsible for taking care of her own kind.
Whether or not it is true, I think we know what Mrs. Helmsley thought.
sw
<< They have reason for concern: News last year that the biggest named beneficiary in Mrs. Helmsley’s will was Trouble, her Maltese, led to death threats against the dog. >>
People were making death threats against a DOG? Wow...
<< Judge Renee R. Roth of Surrogate’s Court in Manhattan will also play a role. She has already demonstrated a willingness to be flexible, cutting the size of Trouble’s trust fund to $2 million, from the $12 million prescribed in Mrs. Helmsley’s will, and ordering that the difference be added to the pending charitable trust. >>
Wow, nice of the judge to change the wishes of the deceased for her... <\s>
<< Judge Roth also agreed to a settlement between the trustees and two of Mrs. Helmsley’s grandchildren who were explicitly left out of her will. The agreement gave those grandchildren $6 million. >>
The children might have been left out for a reason...
I’m very glad that the money will be used to benefit animal organizations ~ that’s what I would do too!
Captain Jack wants to know, “What about the cats lady?”
Woof woof!!
(panting)
My cat would like a word with you. Alone.
Next time some animal related nonprofit bothers you for money tell them to go to Helmsley's estate. With this much money there is no reason for a person to give money to such a group ever again. Give your money to organizations that help people.
ping
There are many acute human needs in the world, and she chooses dogs.
What about funding abortion alternatives?
Feeding starving kids in some 3rd world hellhole?
Yes it's her money and she fully had the right to what she did with it.
And she should be remembered accordingly.
How would you like to be one of the grandkids who was left out of the will while her favorite dog got $12 mil? I’m sure the kids are brats but that has to sting that grandma has as much as $8 billion and you don’t get a penny.
She was definitely making a statement by doing what she did.
Harry Truman got it right. “If you want a friend (in Washington), get a dog.”
We'll know the answer soon enough.
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