While considering the financial impact of your death may seem morbid, having an estate plan in place can protect your heirs from headaches down the road and ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes. It is crucial to understand the various types of assets included in your estate plan...

A trust is a legal structure that many people use for asset protection and estate planning. A trust splits legal and equitable ownership of the trust assets, which protects the assets from creditors during your lifetime. It also ensures that the assets get distributed according to your wishes after you die.

Many are not clear about the differences between financial planning and estate planning. Both are important but serve separate and distinct purposes. To manage your money now and to protect your wealth in the future, understanding how financial planning and estate planning work together is vital. Financial Planning Financial planning is the process of examining...

If you have taken time in the past to create an estate plan, or you’re considering doing so now, that’s good news. Having an estate plan ensures that the wealth you’ve worked hard to create is protected. It makes sense that your assets should be distributed as you wish. After all, they belong to...

Are trusts just for celebrity estate planning?

New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys assist clients from all walks of life-- from those with modest means to wealthy celebrities. Some people think that estate planning is only necessary if you are wealthy, but everyone over the...

It is great to have an estate plan in place. An estate plan is an important step towards protecting your wishes for yourself, your loved ones, and your assets you have spent a lifetime acquiring. An estate plan puts protections in place in the face of an otherwise uncertain future. While we can never...

When you think of estate planning, you generally picture someone in their mid-60s or older. If you’re below retirement age, you might think you have years to go before you need to consult an estate-planning attorney. But what if you found out there are a wide range of benefits to planning an estate far...

In addition to estate planning basics such as a will and advance health care directives, you may want to look into adding a trust or two as well. Trusts can vary in scope and purpose, but can come with a number of benefits when properly executed. In order to establish a trust, a trustee...

Everyone should have an estate plan in place. It is a plan that helps protect your best interests and those of the ones you love in the face of an otherwise uncertain future. Because estate plans are such a reflection of a person and family’s circumstances and situation, every estate plan can and should look...

Q: Should I give my children their inheritance before I die? New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys know that everyone loves their children and wants the best for them. It’s what drives many parents to leave them a nice inheritance after they’re gone. But is that the best—or only--strategy? Some parents — who are...