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Posts
Asset Protection
- Inheritance on hold? Most Americans don’t understand the time and expense of probate
- Jointly Owned Assets: Are You Gambling with Your Legacy?
- 3 Estate Planning Considerations for Real Estate Owners in New York
- Estate Planning: The Implications of the New Biden Presidency
- Top 5 Reasons for Asset Protection
- Asset Protection: Self-Settled Trusts vs. New York Based Trusts
- Planning for digital assets is just as important as planning for other assets.
- 5 Reasons for Asset Protection
Charitable Giving
Children
- Wishing you a wonderful end of summer
- The Brady Bunch Breaks Down: Estate Fights Tear Stepfamilies Apart
- What is a Special Needs Child?
- Can You Force Your Adult Child To Go To Drug Rehab?
- Who will be the guardian of my child after I am gone?
- Understanding Special Needs Trusts
- Accessing Services in New York City for Young Children with Special Needs
- Is 17A Guardianship Right for Your Special Needs Child?
- Do You Need a New Will if You Just Had a Child? Do you need more than a Will?
- What is an Individualized Education Plan?
- How to Choose a Right Guardian For My Child?
- Why Every Parent Needs a Trust For Their Child
- Why does anyone need a Pooled Income Trust?
- Disinheriting a Child
- Planning for Step-Children
- How to Budget for a Child with Special Needs
- Estate Planning for 21st Century Families: A Primer
- Guest Blogger: Ashley Taylor from www.disabledparents.org – Preparing Your Home and Your Life for Children as a Disabled Parent
- Estate Planning Tips for same-sex couples
- Can you adopt an adult in New York?
- Protecting Your Estate Starts with a Prenuptial (or a Postnuptial) Agreement
- ABLE accounts
- You may want to think twice before leaving an outright distribution and gift
- Taking family dynamics into consideration, or thinking of expected family issues when planning!
- Estate considerations for blended families
- The importance of Using the Proper Language When Setting up a Special Needs Trust
- Planning for Children with Special Needs
- Planning for Minor Children
Court Cases
- Challenging an Executor Appointment in New York State: A Comprehensive Guide
- Removing a Bad Executor and Taking Control: Your Legal Rights and Options
- Notable 2018 Supreme Court Decisions: Collection of State Sales Tax on Internet Retailers
- Notable 2018 Supreme Court Decisions: Compelled Speech
- California Lawmakers resurrect the Right-To-Die Bill
- New York’s “Slayer Rule” gets extended!
Digital Assets
- What to Know About Tax Implications of Buying, Owning, and Selling Cryptocurrency
- 5 Things to Do Immediately to Protect Your Digital Assets, Including Crypto-Currency
Education
Elder Law
- Why You Need an Elder Law Attorney in New York: 10 Crucial Reasons
- Skip the Politics, Save the Legacy: Your Thanksgiving Conversation Guide with Aging Parents
- Debunking Guardianship Myths in New York: Protecting Your Loved Ones with Facts
- Step by Step Guide to Becoming a Guardian for Your Loved One in New York
- The Big Mistakes People Make in Medicare – and How to Avoid Them
- Recognizing and Preventing Elder Abuse
- 3 Tests You Must Pass to Qualify for Medicaid Home Care in New York
- Ways to Pay for Long-Term Care
- How to Talk to an Aging Unsafe Driver
- Who will care for my dog?
- A Third of Americans Spend Their Entire Inheritance Within Two Years!
- Does a lawyer use ‘cookie cutter’ documents when dealing with elder clients? What issues must be considered when formulating a plan of actions?
- Power of Attorney – an important document that every adult should have.
Espanol
Estate Administration
Estate Planning
- Why Adding Your Child to Your Deed Might Be a Big Mistake
- Will vs. Trust: What Is the Best Option for Protecting Your Estate?
- Your Right to an Elective Share: A Guide for Disinherited Spouses in New York
- Countdown to 2025: 6 Year-End Gift, Estate and Financial Strategies
- The Trust Conundrum: Exploring Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trusts
- SECTION 8 HOUSING REOPENED
- Difference in Estate Tax Exemption between U.S. Citizens and Foreigners
- Are You Obligated To Leave Equal Inheritance To All Of Your Children?
- Does Putting Your Home in a Trust Protect it from Medicaid?
- Your Will Alone Won’t Guarantee Your Money Goes to Your Heirs
- Secure Your Legacy with the Harmony of Careful Planning. Let Aretha Franklin’s Journey Inspire Your Own Estate Planning.
- Why You Need a Power of Attorney Especially as a Special Needs Parent
- If You Have a Special Needs Child, You Must Learn About OPWDD
- 7 Last-Minute Tips to Help You Close Out 2021
- Reasons To Use An Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust
- Estate Planning with Cryptocurrency
- Am I Responsible For The Debts Of My Loved One?
- Two Must-Have Documents To Sign At The Age Of 18
- Why Do You Need a Power of Attorney
- Why You Should NEVER Give The House To Your Kids Outright
- 3 Common Mistakes Parents Make When Planning For Special Needs Children
- Do You Need to Update Your Estate Planning Documents?
- Can Your Old Uncle Change His Will – Leaving You Out Completely?
- The Main Difference Between a Will and a Trust
- How to Choose a Right Estate Planning Attorney
- Will My Child’s Spouse Inherit My Money?
- Should you use LegalZoom to do your estate planning?
- Is A Pooled Income Trust The Answer To My Getting My Parents Affordable Home Care?
- There are no Simple Wills
- Everyone thinks they have time to plan. Until they don’t!
- Can you Trust a Medicaid Pooled Income Trust to Preserve Your Money and Pay Your Bills?
- Get a FREE online evaluation – what kind of documents you need
- Do your plans for 2017 include estate planning? Below are 5 tips to consider!
- Facebook now permits a “legacy contact”.
- Role of Insurance in Estate Planning
- Why Single People Need Estate Planning
Executor
Family
- When Can Someone File For Guardianship?
- Shana Tova! Happy and sweet New Year 5784! May this year bring you peace, health, joy, love and prosperity.
- ABLE Accounts in New York
- Can You Force Your Adult Drug-addicted Child to Go to a Rehab Facility?
- Happy New Year!
General Life
- Seven Immediate Actions to Take When Your Loved One Passes Away: How to close accounts, notify key authorities, access death benefits, and begin the administration process
- For clients of Sverdlov Law – an offer from a Senior Trainer
- KonMari consultant explains the organizing / cleaning method that took the world by storm!
- Recent Change to New York State Estate Tax: Gift Tax
- Common Forms of Ownership of Property and Financial Accounts
- New Addition to my Firm
- What is the Medical Aid in Dying Act?
- How Do You Open a Safe Deposit Box After Death?
- It’s been 3 years since my father’s death and I have not received a penny from my sister who was the appointed Executor! Should I compel an accounting?
- How Can I Become an Administrator or an Executor of an Estate?
- 6 Ways to Coordinate Your Estate Planning with Your Financial Advisor
- Presumption of Revocation of Lost Will is Not Easy to Overcome
- Seniors are one of the fastest growing demographics that is interested in medical marijuana
- Why do people choose assisted suicide?
- Imagine your family at peace: How to Have Crucial Conversations with Your Loved Ones about End-of-Life issues
- You have a Trust? When DO beneficiaries find out about money left to them ?
- Most Americans Still Avoid Estate Planning
- Will Anyone Respect Your Wishes?
- Update your estate documents – or face unpleasant surprises!
- Don’t live an isolated life (and help seniors in your life to connect)
Government Benefits
- Use free services to stay independent
- Snowbirds? Consider differences in State Law
- Can Medicaid place a lien against the apartment?
- Medicare does not pay for home care!
- There is a lot of government help available for low income seniors.
- Is Divorce the Best Option for People Over 65?
- What happens with government benefits if one gets an unexpected windfall?
- Difference between Social Security, Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income
Guardianship
- Guardianship or Power of Attorney: What’s Best for Your Loved One?
- Making Decisions for a Mentally Ill Adult
- Removing the Executor of the Estate
- Psychiatric Advance Directives (PAD) – are they different from a regular health care proxy?
- What is the right age to get a Power of Attorney?
- Rich and Famous Planning: Sumner Redstone – an estate plan that is embarrassment for the man, the family and the company?
- What is a Guardianship
History
Incapacity Planning
- New video has been posted about a Power of Attorney
- What is a healthcare proxy?
- A Good Plan Avoids Big Problems
- Do You Need a Health Care Proxy?
- Aggressive’ Advance Directive Permits Halting Food And Water In Severe Dementia
- Financial Crimes Against the Elderly
- Power of Attorney Printed From the Internet Was Found Invalid
- Consumers are buying less long term care coverage, most likely based on high premiums and uncertainty. However, different options with various benefits are available.
- What is a Health Care Proxy?
International
- Estate and Income Tax Planning for non-US citizens. Part II – income and estate taxation of non-U.S. residents
- Estate and Income Tax Planning for non-US citizens. Part I – determining U.S. residency
- Estate Tax Planning Considerations for Foreign Nationals
- International Estate Planning
Legal Trivia
- Notable 2018 Supreme Court Decisions: Freedom of Religion vs. Anti-Gay Discrimination
- Notable 2018 Supreme Court Decisions: Expectations of Privacy in a Digital Age
- Notable 2018 Supreme Court Decisions: Travel Ban
- Notable 2018 Supreme Court Decisions: Partisan Gerrymandering
- Some Legal Trivia
- Some Legal Trivia…
Litigation
- Must an Executor or a Trustee provide an Accounting?
- What Assets are Protected from Creditors?
- Are you at risk of getting sued, if you agree to act as a Fiduciary (Executors, Trustees and Agents under Power of Attorney)?
- Rich and Famous Planning: B.B. King’s Estate – 15 children, a few million dollar and legal battles for many years to come
- Is asset protection a necessary part of estate planning?
- Can a Will be Contested? Part 1 (Undue Influence)
Marriage
Medicaid
- Katya quoted in “How a Medicaid Spend Down Works”
- Can You Avoid a 5 Year Penalty for Uncompensated Transfers?
- What is Long Term Care Insurance and New York State Partnership for Long Term Care
- Accident Liens – can Medicaid recover from personal injury or malpractice award?
- Asset Protection Planning for the Home
- 3 reasons why you might NOT want to plan for Medicaid
- Differences between Medicare and Medicaid
Medical Marijuana
Nursing Homes
- How to Protect Your Home from Long-Term Care Costs Without Risking Your Assets
- Can You Be Rich and Still Qualify for Medicaid?
- Is this the future of dementia care?
- Should you hire an aide privately or through an agency?
- If you plan on growing old, the Medicaid debate affects you!
- Are relatives required to pay for nursing home care?
- Can relatives supplement Medicaid covered nursing home care by paying for private nurses and private rooms?
Pet
Probate
- 3 Things to Remember When Administering an Estate in New York to Avoid Litigation
- How Long Does Probate Take in New York
- What happens if there are not enough assets in the Estate to pay all claims
- Account Closures and Cancellations
- Basics of Planning a Funeral
- My recent interview on Serene Home: mistakes, challenges and costs of estate planning.
- Fiduciary Cannot Engage in Self-Dealing
- Regular Wills vs. Crypto Wills
- How to make a statement after you are dead
- What is a Public Administrator?
- Be very careful about titling assets – you could disinherit your children!
- Are Heirs Responsible for Decedent’s Debts?
- Executor of your Will: who should be named and what are his responsibilities?
- When is Medicaid entitled to recovery of benefits paid? Part 1
- Google Updates Options Regarding Deceased User’s Account
- What is Probate?
Retirement Benefits
- Social Security changes coming in 2020
- Retitling Assets and Designating Proper Beneficiaries
- What are the current methods of maximizing one’s social security payments?
- What is a Continuing Care Retirement Community?
- Common retirement assumptions people make that could result in an unexpected shortfall.
Social Security
- Social Security Survival Benefits
- Social Security “Spousal Benefits” – the money you never knew you had!
Special Needs
Special Needs Planning
Taxes
- Joint Bank Accounts in New York: A Confusion of Law and Intent
- Planning for a Childless Couple
- Will the 1031 “Like-Kind” Exchange be now eliminated?
- Trump just proposed to eliminate the Estate Tax completely. Will it affect you?
- Buy / Sell Agreements
- How to monetize an investment real estate property while minimizing taxes
- The Biggest Focus of Estate Planning is Now Basis (or Why You Should Not Make a Simple Gift of Assets to Your Children).
- What are Gifts and how much can you gift and receive without paying taxes?
- What are the Current Gift and Estate Tax Laws?
- Estate Tax Implications for Fractional Art Ownership
- Why the Money in a Joint Account May Not Be Distributed to the Survivor (or how uneducated plans go wrong)
- What gifts can you make without informing the IRS? Why would you want to give large gifts during your lifetime?
- What is the Step Up Basis that Obama Wants to Eliminate?
Thanksgiving
Trusts
- Simple Steps You Can Take Now to Protect Your Assets
- Is an Irrevocable Trust really that Irrevocable?
- Why would you want a Nevada Trust?
- Joint Revocable Trusts vs. Parallel Documents (cost saving vs. peace of mind)
- How much do Corporate Trustees charge?
- Improving the Life of a Disabled Loved One: First Party vs. Third Party Supplemental Needs Trust
- Can You Avoid High Capital Gains Taxes?
- When does a Trust need to pay New York State income taxes?
- The battle for the estate of an elderly heiress and the wrong lessons for estate planning
- Self-settled trusts may not provide asset protection.
- Trusts will be the only solution if the “Step Up” in basis is eliminated
- Top Ten Reasons Why You Might Want a Trust
Uncategorized
- 2023 INCLUDEnyc Fair
- Can you qualify for Medicaid if you have a large Retirement Account?
- 7 Tips for Keeping Trusts Flexible in a Rapidly Changing World
- A To-do List To Protect The Identity Of A Loved One Who Passed Away
- Celebrity Estate Planning Mistakes That Everyone Can Learn From
Will Challenge
- Adoption Ends Inheritance Rights of Biological Family
- CryptoWills: What They Are and How They Work
- Was your aunt unduly influenced by her neighbor when she transferred her house to him?
- Spell the name of the Witness to Your Will
- Revising Your Will Based on Changes in Law and Changes in Facts
- Second Marriages: Causes of Family Strife!
- Main Reasons Why Families Fight Over Estates
- Top 3 Estate Battles of 2016
- Are you at risk to have your Will invalidated?
- Rich and Famous Planning: Lessons learned from Prince’s mistake
- Leaving Real Estate Property to More Than One Heir May Cause Future Problems
- Can Court Reform a Will When the Attorney Made a Drafting Mistake?
- Can you have a Digital Will in New York?
- Heirs may not get to keep the money that factory owner earned through illegal activities.
- No direct relatives and no will? Result: Years of Surrogate Court Process!
- Should you use the Do It Yourself website for your estate plan?
- What happens when a Will is lost? A case illustrates a need for properly storing your documents!
- Can Wills be challenged? Absolutely! A disowned daughter and an almost-disowned son prove that it is possible to do so even when the grounds for the challenge are legally dubious!