June 10, 2023 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Judge Grants Petition by Christian Audiger’s Nephew

A judge granted a petition by the nephew of the late Christian Audigier to change the family’s living trust so that the French designer’s widow, a non-U.S. citizen, can claim the marital exemption for estate tax purposes.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lesley Green ruled Thursday that Nathalie Sorensen, a foreign citizen, can take advantage of the marital deduction. The designer’s nephew, Vincent Audigier, filed the petition on her behalf Oct. 12.

Audigier’s most famous brands were Ed Hardy and Von Dutch, but he also worked on lines for Levi’s Diesel, Guess, American Outfitters, Bisou Bisou and XOXO. Two of his biggest celebrity supporters were Madonna and the late Michael Jackson.

Audigier died in July 2015 at age 57 of the bone marrow illness myelodysplastic syndrome, the same disease that “Good Morning America” anchor Robin Roberts was diagnosed with in 2012.

After Audigier learned he had the disease, he and Sorensen, his longtime partner,  married in early 2015 so that she could enjoy the tax benefits of a surviving spouse after his death, according to court papers filed by lawyers for Vincent Audigier. He is a co-trustee of the Audigier living trust along with his late uncle’s widow.

The trust was created in 2005 when Audigier was single. After he married, the trust was reformed to refer to Sorensen as his wife, according to the attorneys’ court papers. Audigier is also survived by four children.

However, in the last version of the trust, language was left out that would allow Sorensen, as a foreign citizen, to take advantage of the marital deduction, according to the attorneys’ court papers. The judge’s ruling changes the trust to a qualifying domestic trust so she can receive the marital deduction.

Attorney Richard Wildman, who drafted the last version of the Audigier trust, stated in a sworn declaration that Audigier “was in a rush to have the trust amended as he was terminally ill” and expected to die soon thereafter.

“In my haste, I inadvertently did not counsel Christian regarding the special terms needed to quality the gift to Nathalie as one that would meet the requirements for the marital deduction from (the) estate tax, nor did I change the terms accordingly,” Wildman stated.

Wildman said he did not know Sorensen was not a U.S. citizen.

Reformation of the trust also was necessary to carry out its intended purposes, Vincent Audigier’s attorneys’ court papers stated.

“In his last will, Christian further indicated his intention that his estate and surviving spouse have the maximum benefit under the marital deduction,” the attorneys’ court papers stated.

Audigier married his wife knowing he was near death and because he wanted to make sure the property he left to her “could pass to her free of estate taxes,” according to the lawyers’ court papers.

465988507

Related Posts

American Cinematheque Debuts First Los Angeles Abel Ferrara Retrospective

June 9, 2023

June 9, 2023

The Weeklong Series Will Have Live Scores, A Concert, and Q & A’s With Ferrara By Dolores Quintana The American...

(Video) Shongee, One Of The Vendors At Made With PRIDE Marketplace

June 9, 2023

June 9, 2023

This interview took place at The Made with PRIDE Marketplace is located on level one in Center Plaza in Santa...

Mayor Karen Bass Has Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

June 9, 2023

June 9, 2023

A Regular Test Revealed That She Had Been Infected  Mayor Karen Bass has tested positive for Coronavirus, and her office...

Officers Administer Life-Saving Narcan to Overdose Victim Found Unconscious on Sawtelle Blvd

June 9, 2023

June 9, 2023

Two Doses Of Narcan Revived The Subject and Saved Their Life Officers on patrol in the vicinity of Sawtelle Blvd...

(Video) Ribbon Cutting At The Grand Opening of Made With PRIDE Marketplace

June 8, 2023

June 8, 2023

Mayor Gleam Davis, Santa Monica City Council member Phil Brock, and Laura Barnehama, Co-Founder of Streetlet. The Made with PRIDE...

The Michelin Guide Announces New California Restaurants Added To The Guide

June 8, 2023

June 8, 2023

Westside Restaurants Are On The List; Designations Will Be Announced on July 18 By Dolores Quintana The MICHELIN Guide is...

Little Jabronis Pop-Up Will Preview The Menu At The Highly Anticipated Best Bet

June 8, 2023

June 8, 2023

Pre-Orders Are Open Now For Friday, Pick-Ups At Chef Neroni’s The Rose Venice  By Dolores Quintana Today, Chef Jason Neroni...

Taste Of The Nation Charity Event Returns To Culver City This Weekend

June 8, 2023

June 8, 2023

Tickets Are Still Available For This Event Benefiting No Kid Hungry Los Angeles’ much-anticipated gastronomic event, Taste of the Nation,...

Tamales Olmeca Brought Some Of The Best Tamales In Town To Striking WGA Writers

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

Owner Yunia Fumes Mata Brought Tamale Magic To The Amazon Studios Picket By Dolores Quintana  Yunia Fumes Mata is the...

(Video) Made With PRIDE Marketplace Intro By Laura Barnehama, Co-Founder of Streetlet

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

The Made with PRIDE Marketplace is located on level one in Center Plaza in Santa Monica Place which is located...

LA County Board Of Supervisors Pass A Motion Of Support For Striking WGA Writers

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

Motion Was Authored By Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Kathryn Barger By Dolores Quintana Today The Los Angeles County Board...

Culver City Fire Department To Hold Annual Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

The Breakfast Benefits The Culver City Firefighters’ Foundation  Culver City’s local fire department will celebrate Fire Service Day on Saturday,...

Culver City Summer Movie Vacation Series Debuts This Year

June 7, 2023

June 7, 2023

Ticket Only Three Dollars Per Person At The Culver Theater  By Dolores Quintana For the first time this summer, Culver...

(Video) The Grand Opening Ceremony For Made With PRIDE Marketplace Speech From Santa Monica Mayor Gleam Davis

June 6, 2023

June 6, 2023

The Made with PRIDE Marketplace is located on level one in Center Plaza in Santa Monica Place which is located...

Landlords Could Be Required To Provide Cooling Equipment To All Rental Units

June 6, 2023

June 6, 2023

The Los Angeles City Council Is Now Considering This Recommendation From Committee By Dolores Quintana While many apartments have window...