Our Blog

Q: How do the new rent laws affect tenants and landlords?

Buying a home in Staten Island, or anywhere else in New York City, might be out of reach for some people, but being a tenant is looking brighter—in the city and throughout the state.

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Q: Should my estate plan include a revocable trust?

In a nutshell, a simple will is actually not so simple and can often be a costly mistake by people who think they can do it themselves or even inexperienced attorneys. In addition, a will on its own doesn’t take advantage of other estate planning tools that may be advisable in the person’s particular case, nor does it protect the maker in the event they become incapacitated prior to death.

Comprehensive estate planning through a skilled New York or New Jersey estate planning attorney is personalized to each client’s particular situation and needs.
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Q: What Is the Most Common Regret of a First-Time Homebuyer?

Buying a home in New York City or New Jersey is a dream for many Americans. When compared to the rest of the nation, the value of real estate in these highly-desirable areas can set couples and individuals back a pretty penny. Because the prices for even a modest starter home can be steep, newbie buyers may overextend themselves just to get into something decent.
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Q: What are the duties of a guardian or conservator?

Special needs planning attorneys specialize in creating trusts that protect disabled individuals from losing their eligibility to government benefits while allowing their loved ones to give or bequeath them money through a trust, rather than directly, so they can live a higher quality of life.

Another legal doctrine employed in cases of special-needs or otherwise disabled individuals is guardianship proceedings. Guardianship, also called conservatorships, are legal arrangements to place a protected person under the supervision of a guardian. A guardian may be family, friend, or a court-appointed fiduciary. They are charged with either protecting the disabled person or protecting the person’s property and making important financial decisions regarding that property.
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Q: Is Co-Living the future of housing in New York City?

If you’ve ever dreamt of buying a home in New York City, you’re in good company. Unfortunately, trying to own a piece of real estate in one of the most desirable locations in the country can be an expensive proposition-- especially for the under 30 crowd. 

In general, what young millennials may be lacking in funds, they make up for in trailblazing.
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Q: What does an Executor of an estate have to do?

When executors are depicted in the movies, there is generally drama surrounding the estate they are in charge of administering. In real life, there may or may not be drama over the executor’s duties--and much depends on decisions made during the estate planning process.

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Q: Can I qualify for Medicaid?

No one wants to think about ending up in a nursing home. But New York and New Jersey Medicaid planning attorneys know that the earlier clients plan for the possibility of needing long-term nursing home care down the line, the better off they likely will be.

Comprehensive estate planning not only provides⁠—through a last will and testament⁠—how assets will be distributed after death, but also incorporates other legal documents to plan for incapacity prior to death. These documents include powers of attorney and healthcare proxies that empower trusted family members or friends to make financial and/or medical decisions in the event an accident or illness leaves the client unable to do so themselves. 

Medicaid planning can allow people to qualify for Medicaid—financial assistance from the government⁠—in the event they need long-term nursing home care in the future.
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Do unmentioned after-born children have a claim to a parent’s probate estate?

New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys know that it might take an event as monumental as the birth of a first child to get some people to finally come in and prepare a comprehensive estate plan, including but not limited to a last will and testament that names legal guardians for that child in case the parents die before the child reaches majority age.

In such cases, that first-born child is often named as a beneficiary of the estate. But what happens if the parent has additional children born after the will is executed – – children who are not named in the earlier will because they did not exist?

State laws differ, but very often if the after-born children were not specifically disinherited in the language of the last will, the after-born children may have a claim to part of the estate for potentially being accidentally not included. Therefore, it’s important to make it clear in your will--if you intend to disinherit your children – – something you legally can do in virtually every state. ARead more . . .

Can I qualify for Medicaid?

No one wants to think about ending up in a nursing home. But New York and New Jersey Medicaid planning attorneys know that the earlier clients plan for the possibility of needing long-term nursing home care down the line, the better off they likely will be.

Comprehensive estate planning not only provides-- through a last will and testament-- how assets will be distributed after death, but also incorporates other legal documents to plan for incapacity prior to death.
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New York or New Jersey homeowners preparing to sell their home will need to take steps to protect themselves.  As a homeowner in the area, now may be a great time to sell after several years of home prices steadily rising. You want to ensure you sell your home for the best possible value, while also sticking to important deadlines and knowing that at the completion of the sale, you can move forward without issues.  Our New York and New Jersey real estate sales attorneys explain some important steps you should take to protect yourself as you sell your home below.


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What should I do before I die?

There was a popular song a few years back by Tim McGraw encouraging people to live like they were dying. That sentiment – – to make the most of every minute of your life – – has a led many to create “bucket lists” of things they want to do and experience before they die. While bucket lists are a popular part of today’s culture, they become particularly important to people facing life-threatening or life-shortening conditions.

New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys encourage people to add estate planning to their bucket list. This is good advice for everyone regardless of their health status.
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