Our Blog

Q: What should I know before buying a home?

New York and New Jersey real estate attorneys help clients purchase their first home, upgrade to a larger home, and downsize to something smaller. Often, their first contact with a prospective homebuyer happens after they have already found what they think is the home of their dreams and are ready to go into contract.

Sometimes,

Read more . . .

Q: How do I know if I need to update my estate plan?

As a new year-- and a new decade--recently began, many people made New Year’s resolutions to improve their lives. Quitting unhealthy habits like smoking, or adopting healthy habits like eating well and exercising are common resolutions--but they require a long-term commitment and real effort by the resolution-maker. Sometimes with frustrating or less than optimal results.

But

Read more . . .

Q: How are creditors’ claims against estates handled?

When people think of estate planning, they often think about what assets they have and who they want to leave them to after they are gone.

Similarly, when beneficiaries think of

Read more . . .

Q: Is it safe to buy a home on the flood-prone coasts of the New York City area?

When most people think of buying real estate in New York City, they may think of the “concrete jungle” setting of Manhattan—high up in skyscrapers where it’s dry and the idea of your home being flooded in a hurricane doesn’t even cross one’s mind.

Of course, Read more . . .

Q: Should you talk about your estate plan at the holiday dinner table?

New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys often encourage their clients to tell their adult children about their estate plans. You might even consider working estate planning talk into the holiday dinner conversation if the mood is right and the important people are present.

In today’s political climate, the discussion would likely be less controversial than discussing politics.
Read more . . .

Q: How can having many accounts or joint accounts impact estate planning and administration?

When New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys meet with a client to craft a comprehensive estate plan, they begin a fact-finding mission that examines the individual’s unique lifestyle, their assets and debts, their goals and plans, their worries and dreams.

Despite following an estate planning road map of sorts, no two plans are exactly alike.
Read more . . .

Q: Can I disinherit my spouse?

Even in the best circumstances, the relationship between an adult child and their divorced parent’s new spouse can have its rough moments. Nowhere is this more pronounced than in the field of estate planning, as New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys can attest. 

There is a literal arsenal of estate planning tools for each individual’s personal scenario.
Read more . . .

Q: Why should people plan for incapacity?

New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys not only prepare people’s wills, but draft several other documents that together make up a comprehensive estate plan. 

What documents are needed when planning for incapacity?

Planning for incapacity is essential in estate planning, regardless of age or health. Not to frighten you, but the stark reality is that tragedy can strike anyone at any moment.
Read more . . .

Q: What is a revocable living trust?

Whether they’re from the music or television world, celebrities are viewed by some as role models – much to the chagrin of parents that might disagree with the examples set by their on-stage or off-screen behavior. Antics and personalities aside, estate planning attorneys are more likely to judge celebrities on their choices – or lack of choices – in the estate planning department.

Mega-stars, like the late Prince, sometimes die without any estate planning documents in place, leaving an Read more . . .

Q: Where can I find an affordable house or apartment in New Jersey, but close to Manhattan?

Whether you work in New York City or would just love to live nearby so you can easily visit more often, buying a home in the city can be challenging. For that reason, New York real estate attorneys often help clients, who can’t afford to purchase a home in Manhattan, with leases for apartments in and around the Big Apple.

New York and New Jersey real estate attorneys have found that in recent years clients have looked for homes in Staten Island and other boroughs--as well as New Jersey neighborhoods near Manhattan.
Read more . . .

Q: Do I need a pet trust?

Many people know that one of the most important functions of a last will and testament--also known simply as a “will”, is to designate legal guardians (and successor guardians) for minor children. If you die before your children reach the age of majority and you have not executed a will that designated their legal guardians, a judge will decide who raises your children – – and it may not be someone you would have chosen. A will serves many other purposes, and is the starting point for most customized estate planning in New York and New Jersey.
Read more . . .