Actor John Amos passed away in Los Angeles on August 21, 2024 at age 84. Amos was one of the stars of “Good Times,” the 1970s TV sitcom. However, good times hardly describes the relationship between his two adult children, Shannon and KC. The siblings’ longstanding feud has grown more bitter with their father’s declining health and death, culminating now in Shannon’s lawsuit against her brother. Filed in California Superior Court, the suit alleges that KC abused and exploited their father for financial gain, tricked him into disinheriting her, and is responsible for his death.
Abuse Allegations
KC moved in with his father in 2020. As early as 2023, Shannon accused KC of taking advantage of him and isolating him from family and friends. Her petition states: “This calculated and cruel isolation was explicitly designed to render John Amos entirely dependent on KC Amos for all of his personal, financial, and critical medical decisions.” Several of John Amos’ friends and contacts support Shannon’s allegations; one longtime associate says that KC kept his father in various hotels rooms strewn with dirty adult diapers.
The lawsuit also targets Belinda Foster, Amos’ longtime assistant, who Shannon claims delayed getting medical care for Amos when he experienced abdominal pain in 2024. Shannon was not notified when her father died nor when he was cremated nine days later. This has led her to allege that her brother’s neglect caused Amos’ death, and that the cremation was scheduled “to avoid any potential investigation into the conditions his final days.” Foster disputes that allegation, saying Amos himself had wanted the announcement of his death delayed for fear that Shannon would “turn his death and interment into a circus.” Foster also disputes Shannon’s claim that that Amos had dementia. He was alert and working on various projects until the end, she asserts.
Estate Challenge
Shannon was at one time a co-trustee of her father’s estate. Her lawsuit claims that KC tricked Amos into signing new wills, new trusts and new powers of attorney giving him control over his father’s assets. The new documents also cut out Shannon and Amos’ two grandchildren. Shannon has asked the court to freeze the estate assets pending an audit into her father’s finances dating back to November 2020.
The value of Amos’ estate is unknown. Estimates from various media sources put it anywhere between $300,000 and $3 million. We do know that his home in Lebanon, New Jersey was sold in 2021 for $228,000. Amos had purchased it for $337,000 in 1990.
Takeaways
John Amos’s final days and passing are just one in a seemingly endless supply of high-profile cases we have written about, all underscoring the importance of planning for incapacity and death. Thoughtful legal plans can help keep you and your assets safe as you age, and keep family conflict at bay when you pass on. Below are some recommendations from our estate planning/elder law attorneys:
If you are concerned that a family member or anyone else may take financial advantage of you as you age:
- Consider naming an independent third party to manage your finances, as trustee or agent under your power of attorney – for example, a trust company, your lawyer or accountant or your best friend. You can arrange for that third party to act alone, or in concert with a relative.
- Establish a predator protection trust. With this strategy, your funds are protected because you limit the trustee to expending funds only for specific purposes – for example, health care. Read more about the predator protection trust.
- Name a pre-need guardian. Should you ever require guardianship due to incapacity, this will tell the court who you would prefer for that job. Read more about a pre-need guardian.
- Create a durable power of attorney. This gives someone(s) you trust the authority to handle your financial affairs. Read more about a Florida power of attorney.
- Create a health care surrogate. This authorizes someone you trust to make your health care decisions if you are unable to do so. Read more about the health care surrogate.
- Name a “trusted contact” who your financial institutions can contact if they suspect foul play. Learn more about naming a trusted contact.
- Set up direct deposit and bill pay. This ensures that your bills are paid and keeps anyone who might take advantage of you out of the loop.
If you are an adult child who wants to make sure your loved one is protected from abuse by a family member or anyone else:
- The most basic recommendation: involve yourself in your parent’s life as much as you can by visiting, getting to know his/her routines, neighbors, caregivers, financial institutions, health care providers, etc. This will allow you to assess first-hand if anything seems amiss – for example, if a caregiver or neighbor seems to be playing an outsize role in your parent’s finances or decision-making. If you do not live nearby, you can telephone regularly and establish communication with your parent’s friends, neighbors, clergy, etc.
- If you think your loved one is being abused or exploited, contact Florida Adult Protective Services by calling 800-96-ABUSE or contact them online. (If your loved one resides outside Florida, you can find any state’s adult protective services agency at this link.)
- A last resort if you think your parent is not capable of protecting him/herself is to petition the court for guardianship. Learn more about Florida guardianship.
The attorneys at The Karp Law Firm are experienced in helping individuals and families make plans that can promote family harmony. Contact us to schedule a consultation at 561-625-1100.
