Merlino & Gonzalez

Are you beginning an exciting new career, or is your family growing and you’re looking forward to purchasing your first home? Or maybe you’re downsizing, planning for your retirement, or perhaps preparing to pass your estate on to your loved ones?

Whatever your real estate and planning needs are, Merlino & Gonzalez can help you make sure you’re getting things done the right way. 

Our team has decades of experience in Estate Planning and Real Estate Law that has helped thousands of people reaching important milestones in their lives make sure everything goes smoothly. But you don’t need to take our word for it—just check out these testimonials and you’ll see why clients choose us for their estate planning needs.

merlino and gonzalez office sign
What Our Clients Have to Say
I couldn’t have been happier with our experience
As a young married couple with a growing family we wanted to protect ourselves, children and all that we worked so hard for. We contacted the law firm of Merlino & Gonzalez to assist us with all our estate planning needs. Everyone was so helpful and Ken and John took the time explaining what each document was and its significance. I couldn’t have been happier with our experience, the attention to every detail and I felt that I walked away making a great investment.
— Greg and Tricia S
…extremely thorough and attentive to their clients needs.
Merlino & Gonzalez are both extremely thorough and attentive to their clients needs. Always making themselves available and return calls directly throughout the process. These comments are the positive feedback I hear back from my clients and I too have experienced myself. Great group to deal with.
— Master Associates
… would not hesitate to use this firm in the future…
We first came in contact with the firm of Merlino and Gonzalez when we needed to draw our wills, health proxies and other legal documents. Among the many attributes of this firm we were particularly impressed with its professionalism and competence. Calls were always returned in a most timely fashion. We would not hesitate to use this firm in the future and to recommend it to our friends.
— Grace & Dirk H
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey

The truth is, we’re different from other Estate Planning & Real Estate Practices you might find in New York and New Jersey. But that’s a good thing.

At Merlino & Gonzalez, we distinguish ourselves from the crowd of attorneys vying for your attention by continuing to follow the principles on which we were founded:

  • We have extremely knowledgeable counsel who always stays up to date with the ever-changing legal landscape.
  • We’re committed to meeting your individual needs.
  • We draft all your documents with patience and precision according to your wishes.
  • We have the flexibility to accommodate your unique schedule.
  • Our communication is transparent so you understand every action we take and every document you sign.
  • You will always be greeted and treated with personal warmth and respect.

We’re dedicated to providing you with superior client services, pure and simple. That means once you become our client, you’re treated with the attention you deserve.

Our Four Major Areas of Focus

Specialization is a key factor of the excellence we provide, so our attorneys focus on four primary areas of practice: Wills and Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Real Estate, and Elder Law and Medicaid Planning.

Wills and Estate Planning
Estate and Trust Administration
Real Estate
Elder Law & Medicaid Planning

Why You Need to Engage in Estate Planning

Wills and Estate Planning: Having a Will Serves Many Purposes

It names your beneficiaries, which are the people you want to leave your estate to. It also names your executor, or the person you would like to help see that your wishes are carried out after you pass away. A Will can also name the guardian(s) you appoint to care for your young children if you and your spouse become incapacitated. Your Will can also state your desires regarding your funeral, burial, cremation, and memorial services.

No matter what age you are or what your assets might be, there’s always some risk involved if you die without a Will in place. If this happens, your estate will default to being distributed according to New York or New Jersey state law, not according to your personal wishes. And there’s a good chance the two don’t align in all the ways you would prefer.

Parents walk with their pre-teen child down the strett

Estate Planning is Not Only for the Wealthy or Elderly

Planning a future and protecting loved ones is an inherent instinct that’s part of being human. The Estate Planning attorneys at Merlino & Gonzalez understand this fact at their very core and are eager to assist you in fulfilling those goals. 

Not only can we help you create a Will, but we can also help you:

  • Protect your assets by avoiding the additional costs and headache of probate, excessive taxation, creditors, and lawsuits.
  • Create trusts for various other purposes, such as providing for special needs children or adults, preventing beneficiaries from squandering the inheritance you leave them, or establishing a charitable legacy.
  • Plan for any event that should leave you incapacitated and unable to care for yourself. 
  • Plan for a fulfilling retirement.
  • Plan for your business succession after you retire.

Many of the decisions to be made regarding your future and your own mortality may seem overwhelming or even depressing to think about. But when you work with our Will and Estate Planning lawyers, you’ll begin to see that the process is not only much less taxing than you might have thought, but can even be fulfilling to accomplish. We want to help you understand just how necessary Estate Planning is, but also how practical and stress-free it can be with the right team by your side.

upward shot of a tree in new york

Estate and Trust Settlement

Planning an estate is the essential first step in the process, but administrative estate plans and trust settlements are equally vital, because they ensure that your plans are actually carried out according to your specific stipulations. 

Our team has created a estate and trust settlement road map to assist executors in ensuring that their estate is settled as quickly and efficiently as possible, so that their loved ones aren’t dragged through the process. You can rely on us to guide you through all the necessary procedures, drafts, and review processes, then execute all the essential documents correctly the first time around. We always make sure all matters regarding your estate administration are fully accomplished, and we do that by:

Real estate attorney working with client
  • Notifying your heirs and beneficiaries of your death in a timely and sensitive matter.
  • Gathering and recording a full inventory of your assets.
  • Opening a bank account specifically for your estate.
  • Managing and protecting all your estate assets with low-risk investments.
  • Paying any taxes and/or debts the estate might owe.
  • Distributing the remaining property according to the terms of your will or trust.

Estate administration requires the right skill, practice, and integrity to make sure it’s done correctly. When you work with Merlino & Gonzalez, you can rest easy knowing that our estate and trust settlement attorneys will steer you in the right direction. That way, you know you’ll be fulfilling your obligations to your beneficiaries, all with the intention of preserving your family’s harmony.

a man putting his arm around another man in comfort

Real Estate Matters in New York and New Jersey

Our capable real estate attorneys are experienced in handling all aspects of real estate, routinely working with both residential and commercial clients. We are especially well known for our efficiency and efficacy in handling real estate transactions.

As well-connected professionals with a long-standing history of work in our communities, we regularly collaborate with well-vetted realtors, brokers, lenders, and title agencies who are also professional and trustworthy. Whether you’re a buyer, seller, or developer, we’re well-positioned to advise you on real estate matters, including:

new york building with staircase and trees
  • Transactions such as selling, purchasing, and leasing houses, condominiums, cooperative apartments, and commercial properties.
  • Financing mortgages through banks, other financial institutions, or private financing.
  • Title insurance and searches.
  • Real estate development.
  • Land use and zoning issues.

When you come to Merlino & Gonzalez with a real estate concern, you’ll be guided by a real estate lawyer with the skills, tools, and experience to assist you in completing the task at hand efficiently, profitably, and legally.

inside of a condo, white kitchen with stools
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey

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Contact Our Experienced Estate Planning & Real Estate Attorneys Today

Whether you are planning your own estate, administering the estate of a loved one, or undertaking a significant real estate transaction, our team of lawyers has the skills and experience you want and need to help you through the process. Contact us today so we can assist you in charting your life’s course.

Staten Island Office
394 Manor Road
Staten Island, NY 10314
Call our office 718.682.7015
East Brunswick Office
348 Cranbury Road
East Brunswick, NJ 08816
Call our office 732.525.1500