Why Trusts are Valuable in Estate Planning

Posted on December 31, 2018

Do I need a trust? New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys recognize that even though most people understand that the purpose of a last will and testament, also called simply a “will”, is to designate who gets their property and who would be guardians of their minor children after they die, few people...

Technology is Changing the Ways in Which We Buy and Sell Real Estate

Posted on December 23, 2018

How can buyers and sellers protect themselves when transacting through new technology? A new blockchain-based app aims to revolutionize the ways in which buyers and sellers transact in real estate. The New York based app is called ShelterZoom and it is set to launch in 2019. The app is intended to bring a new ease...

Popular Estate Planning Tactics for Helicopter Parents

Posted on December 14, 2018

What can I do now to retain some control over my children’s inheritance after I die? Many people know that a last will and testament, commonly called a will, is the foundation document in an estate plan. In a nutshell, it disposes of the maker’s property after death and in the case of minor children,...

A Look at the Most Important Estate Planning Documents

Posted on December 13, 2018

Why should everyone have a durable power of attorney? We have likely all heard the tale of a person who passed away without an estate plan, leaving the heirs to battle it out. Some of us have actually experienced the pain of losing a loved one who left no instructions as to their last wishes....

Novel Legal Argument Results in Huge New York Estate Tax Refund

Posted on November 27, 2018

Does New York State owe me a tax refund? It isn’t often that New York estate administration attorneys come across something new and exciting in the relatively stable and unchanged world of trusts and estates law. But a recent ruling in favor of an estate that took a novel and daring estate tax approach has...

Orphaned Children Left Behind After New York Limo Crash

Posted on November 19, 2018

Q: What happens when parents of minor children die together without a will?

“The deadliest transportation accident in nearly a decade” happened in New York recently-- one where 20 lives were taken instantly in a horrific limousine crash upstate. The limo driver and all 17 passengers were killed...

How Estate Planning Protects Assets

Posted on November 12, 2018

Q: Does estate planning save money and assets?

Contrary to what many people may assume, skilled estate planning attorneys do not simply assist people with preparing a last will and testament that gives away their property after they die. While having a will is certainly part of the job, they also help clients...

Buying a Home in New York City or New Jersey

Posted on November 5, 2018

Q: What do I need to know about buying a home?

Have you been dreaming of buying a home in Staten Island or somewhere else in or near New York City?

Well, it pays to educate yourself before embarking on your search or dropping a large down-payment by following an experienced...

Estate Planning Post-Divorce

Posted on October 29, 2018

What will happen if I die before updating my will after my divorce?

Once you take the step to create a will, it is easy to stash your will away and forget its existence. For many of us, life evolves and changes, and these life alterations could greatly impact your estate plan. Perhaps...

Replacing the Trustee of a Living Trust

Posted on October 24, 2018

What happens if a trustee becomes mentally incapacitated?

While the goal of skilled estate planning attorneys is to eliminate or reduce surprises, sometimes real-life situations play out like a bad reality TV show.

Such was the case involving a 92-year-old Hawaiian princess, her longtime...