Most people do not realize that probate and wills are not just for the rich. If you were to die tomorrow and do not have a will, then in most cases, the government will have no idea who the money should go to and how much should go to each of your kin. Ultimately, lawyers more »
When Tom Johnson of Washington D.C. was called in 2016 about his brother-in-law, Mark, Tom became intimately aware of the need for a living will. Mark, unconscious and lying in a New York hospital was unmarried and didn’t have a living will outlining either his wishes or giving power of attorney to a relative. “We more »
Where should you keep estate-planning documents prepared by your attorney? Where should people expect to find your living trust, will, durable power of attorney and advance health care directive? You want to be sure that those documents stay safe and can be easily found when your family needs to find them. For those of you more »
When people retire, or decide to move to be closer to family often times it involves a move to a different state. So when you move to a different state, are your estate plan documents still valid in your new state of residence? The answer is maybe. Under of the U.S. Constitution, every state shall more »
As times have changed, so has the field of estate planning. When I started out in the field 22 years ago, people and their lives seemed to be less complicated. As the years went by, it seems like the issues my clients shared with me became more complex. Perhaps as I gained experience and felt more »
In addition to seemingly endless gift lists to satisfy, the holiday season presents many with the perplexing issue regarding service tipping. Consumer Reports magazine states in the December issue that gratuities, in general, rose by approximately $5.00 over the previous holiday season. In general, Consumer Reports found that the experts they surveyed recommended a one-week more »
My wife and I are off to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine for vacation before the summer days slip away. I’ve left instructions with my capable staff on when and how to contact me if needed, with any luck they will be able to get by just fine without me for a couple of weeks. more »
Family dynamics play an interesting role in drafting an estate plan. Every so often I meet with clients who, for whatever reason, just don’t like a son-in-law or daughter-in-law, and want to figure a way to keep their son or daughter’s inheritance in the family in the event of a divorce, death, or other unexpected more »
You may be willing to trust your teenage grandchildren to house sit for you while you’re away for the weekend, but would you trust them to properly manage your entire bank account after you die? Paris and Nicky Hilton, heiresses to the Hilton Hotel fortune, are notorious for their party-girl ways. DUI charges and driving more »
Over my years of practice, I’ve seen an increase in the number of women looking to create an estate plan. Estate planning is important for women because they have a greater likelihood of ending up alone later in life. Women have a longer life expectancy than men and tend to marry older men often making more »
After a loved one passes away, the personal representative (fiduciary) on behalf of the estate or trust is responsible for managing the estate and distributing the assets.When the decedent has a valid New York will or trust in place…
Under New York Law, a guardian is a person who has the authority to take care of your minor children if you are unable to as a result of a mental incapacity, illness, disability or you pass away. The legal guardian has the same authority and powers as a parent…
