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The bad-boy persona; the sensitive soul; the smoldering eyes; and that hair. In 1990, Luke Perry quickly became the definition of heartthrob when he rose to stardom in the wildly popular television series Beverly Hills 90210 as broody teen Dylan McKay. (Little known fact: he originally auditioned for the role of Steve Sanders, which he lost to Ian Ziering.) What set Perry apart from many other rising stars at the time, though, was his innate humbleness. Born Coy Luther Perry III in 1966 to Ann and Coy Luther Jr. (and eventually raised by stepfather, Steve Bennett, to whom Perry attributes his kindness and respect), Perry’s small-town roots never allowed his idol status to go to his head. “I don’t change who I am for what I am doing,” he said in a 1992 interview. This sense of self was perhaps the reason for his longevity in the industry. Long after his pinup status faded upon his departure from the show half-way through its 10-year run, Perry still embraced the connection many fans held for the character that made him the envy of every teenage girl. “You know, it doesn't bother me,” he said in an interview with NBC News in 2012. “Always seems to me without one, probably wouldn't have had any of the other, you know? If not for 90210, the rest of the stuff may or may not have happened.” Known mostly for his roles on television, including guest stints on Criminal Minds, Will & Grace, The Simpsons, and Oz, as well as starring roles in Windfall, Jeremiah and most recently, the hit CW series, Riverdale, Perry also appeared or starred in over 30 films, including cult classics Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Fifth Element. The most important film for Perry, though, had to be John Avildson’s 8 Seconds, which Perry also produced in order to maintain the integrity of the story behind champion bull rider Lane Frost. Outside of acting, Perry was a devoted father and advocate for colorectal cancer. After a colonoscopy revealed pre-cancerous growths in 2015, he became involved with Fight CRC. Together with Chad Schrank, whose wife is a stage III cancer survivor, Perry produced multiple PSAs, including this special video for One Million Strong. On February 27, the day FOX announced a revival of 90210, Perry suffered a massive ischemic stroke. He remained in the hospital until suffering a second stroke that would end his life on March 4 th. He was surrounded by his family and close friends. “Luke was everything you would hope he would be: an incredibly caring, consummate professional with a giant heart, and a true friend to all,” said the producers of Riverdale. “A father figure and mentor to the show’s young cast, Luke was incredibly generous, and he infused the set with love and kindness.”

No one likes to admit it, but marriage takes a lot of work. When both parties are incapable of putting forth the effort, a relationship can spoil rather quickly, making one feel as if they failed in their commitments. The majority of relationships that quote-unquote fail, though, aren’t really failures at all; it’s simply a drifting apart of two individual hearts, minds and souls. Still, a lot of couples refrain from dealing with it because of the stigma that comes with divorce. But if you’re not happy in a relationship, how can you ever be happy in life? The best thing to do is find an amicable path for the dissolution of your marriage, also known as conscious uncoupling. Conscious uncoupling utilizes kindness, loving gestures, genuine respect and honorable efforts to do what’s right for the right reasons. Having been around since the 1970s, conscious uncoupling was further defined in 1990 by author Diane Vaughan, popularized as an online course in 2011 by marriage and family therapist Katherine Woodward Thomas, and made famous by Gwyneth Paltrow during her separation from Chris Martin in 2014. This method of separation is not only meant to help a marriage dissolve gracefully, but help each party understand why the marriage didn’t work and move forward in a healthy relationship with the self. The first step is to find your emotional freedom by acknowledging the circumstances and identifying your feelings toward what’s happening and why. Next, you’ll reclaim the power in your life by refraining from becoming the victim. Blaming yourself for the breakdown in the relationship keeps you vulnerable to the lies you tell yourself. Step three involves breaking patterns and healing your heart. Every irritation, argument or negative feeling you have toward the situation is rooted in a fear or trauma from your past. Only when you’re able to recognize the patterns can you move forward with a strong, healthy outlook on your future. After recognizing theses triggers, it’s time to let go of the promises you and your spouse made to one another. And finally, you’ll need to offer forgiveness and inspire those around you to do the same, treating your spouse as a friend, not an enemy. Then and only then will you have created a path to your happily ever after. Divorce shouldn’t be looked upon as a negative; sometimes it’s better for everyone involved, especially kids, for a couple to separate amicably than live in a state of grief or resentment. Self-reflection is at the heart of conscious uncoupling, allowing mutual respect to flourish among couples and their families. By nurturing a dignified and respectful relationship and focusing on the positive aspects of your future rather than the negative aspects of your past, you’re able to accept the circumstances create path for a positive, healthy future for you and your family.

In September 2016, Angelina Jolie shocked the world when she filed for divorce from long-time partner, Brad Pitt. Though the couple had only been married for two years, they had been a recognized couple for over ten, and never publicly showed any cracks in their relationship. But according to initial reports, Jolie was extremely upset with Pitt’s parenting habits. It has since come to light that Pitt had problems with alcohol and marijuana, and there may or may not have been a serious altercation with their eldest son prior to her filing. Regardless, Jolie filed for divorce to protect their six kids from possible mental and physical abuse. An amicable divorce is always the goal, but no more so than when children are involved. It doesn’t matter how angry or upset you may be with your partner, if you have children, their considerations should be first and foremost when making any decisions as it deals with their future and their relationship with both parents. There are two types of custody a parent may apply for in divorce proceedings: Legal custody is when a parent obtains the responsibility and obligation to make decisions for the well-being of the child. This includes what school they attend, what religion they practice, what doctors they use, etc. Physical custody determines who the child will live with on a regular basis. Legal and physical custody are also split into two categories: Joint custody is when both parents share equally in legal and/or physical custody. Joint legal custody is when both parents share in the decisions that affect the life of their child. Joint physical custody means the child will live with both parents equally. The court does have some discretion when a 50/50 split isn’t possible due to factors that include financial means and where each parent resides. Sole custody is when only one parent, also known as the custodial parent, has full legal and/or physical custody. In this case, the parent that does not have sole custody, also known as the non-custodial parent, has no rights in any decisions made on behalf of the child, but does have the right to visitation. In the case of our celebrity couple, Jolie sought sole custody with supervised visitation for Pitt. For a while, the battle for joint custody was strenuous, but it seems that may be changing. Pitt has been sober for the past few months, which should go a long way in convincing the courts (and Jolie) that he is ready to share custody. Divorce is usually the last thing a couple thinks about when they get married, but circumstances, personalities and ideas change, and sometimes it’s simply unavoidable. In most cases, both parents want what’s best for their children, so always keep them in mind as you prepare to have your lawyers and the courts mitigate the drama that may arise during your divorce.

If you didn’t know who Donald Trump was before his meteoric rise into the Presidency, you definitely know who he is now. Born to wealthy parents who ran a successful real estate business, Trump grew up learning the skills he would need to foster his own real estate empire, which includes plenty of hotels, casinos and golf courses worldwide. And although Trump had an advantage above most when it came to his success, anyone can start a business with nary a dime to their name and rise to the heights of global success. Take Steve Jobs, for example, who founded Apple in his garage before utilizing his interpersonal skills to build relationships that helped him grow the brand into the innovative sensation it is today. It’s no secret that, even with connections or access to the necessary finances, building any type of business can be an arduous task. In fact, not even Trump was immune to economic dry spells. It’s how you approach those hardships when they arise that determines your resolve.  Facing bankruptcy in the early nineties, Trump used his controversial personality to enhance what he had learned in deal making and negotiation to save and rebuild his legacy into one of the most well-known brands in the world. There are an incredible number of factors that must be taken into consideration when deciding to start a business. The first and most important is what type of entity you wish to form: a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited liability corporation or a corporation. Choosing a sole proprietorship is the fastest, easiest way to start a business. There’s no formal paperwork or major legal formalities to deal with, no shareholder meetings or corporate minutes to worry about, and instead of a board of directors that must be involved in every major decision, the owner has full control over every aspect of the business. On the other hand, the owner is also liable for all business debts, which means the owner is putting all their personal assets at risk. With a corporation, shareholders and board members aren’t liable for corporate debts, it’s far easier to raise money (by creating and selling stocks and acquiring investors), and the entity comes with much more tax benefits in a variety of areas. Above all else, building a business takes time, patience, tenacity, negotiations, compromise and a willingness to take risks. More importantly, it takes trust, both in yourself to be able to do what needs to be done, as well as those you put faith in to help build your dream. Without it, you’re on the road to failure before you even begin.

It was only one month ago we lost two iconic celebrities who also happened to be family. Character actor, writer and loving philanthropist Carrie Fisher (best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars) passed away on December 27, 2016 after suffering a major heart attack. The next day, her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds, followed her to the next life after suffering a severe stroke. Both Fisher and Reynolds had long, prolific careers and will be missed by both the industry and the public. And while their deaths are still fresh in the minds of the public, the last thing on anyone’s mind is the California Probate Code, which may already have requirements that must be addressed. Celebrities like Fisher and Reynolds are often viewed as having the perfect life, only friends and family are aware of what’s happening behind the veil. What ardent fans don’t often see when it comes to the death of a beloved celebrity is the grief felt by those they left behind and the trouble that can follow in their personal lives if the deceased doesn’t have their house in order when they pass. It doesn’t matter if you’re a celebrity or a box store clerk; when someone dies, they don’t just leave behind a legacy. Every family must arrange a funeral and organize or manage the deceased’s estate. For the majority of us, that means going through a simplified probate process, which allows for a much easier allocating of the deceased’s assets. For anyone whose assets are greater than $150,000 or for those who own real estate, this can become a lot more arduous, especially if there’s no will or trust, a lot of insurance matters, community property issues or family conflicts. Attempting to handle this all yourself could turn into a long, stressful process in an already highly emotional situation. It’s always better to, at the very least, consult a lawyer when having to deal with probate so that you can be proactive. This will help limit the problems that may arise and simplify the process, which will allow family members and friends to grieve and remember their loved ones in peace.