Q: I bought a car right from the dealership showroom. I just noticed that they forgot to apply a clear coat to the vehicle. This is the worst paint job I have ever seen.
I’ve gone back to the dealer and of course they won’t help me. I made a complaint to the Better Business Bureau, and they said this isn’t a quality/workmanship issue.
I’m just an average hard-working American that took it on the chin from this major car company. — S.W., via email
A: You say that you are taking it on the chin from a major car company and the dealer won’t help you. I don’t understand that. Tell the dealer that you want to meet with the zone officer in your area and take the complaint directly to him. I think the likelihood is that they will agree with you and have the car properly painted.
Q: Is it possible to make my married daughter the beneficiary of our will while excluding her husband? There are going to be important works of art passed on to her, and I do not trust her husband in the event of a divorce. My husband and I have spent over 40 years and made many sacrifices to obtain these works of art, and we do not wish to have our son-in-law acquire them. — L.K., via email
A: The straight answer is no. You can leave the items to your daughter in your will, but when they become hers and are acquired during their marriage, the art will then become part of the community property, in most circumstances.
What you may be able to do is make your daughter the beneficiary of a revocable trust that will own the artwork. In the trust, you can spell out that in the event of her death, these things can be left to anyone you chose.
This is a tricky proposition, and I have given you only a quick answer. You should certainly hire a competent attorney, licensed to do business in your jurisdiction, to draw up the trust.
If he says it can’t be done, I am not sure what to tell you. You certainly don’t want to let the art become hers upon your demise without restriction.
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