Category: Estate Planning

 Getting married is a joyous occasion. While a second marriage is another opportunity to enjoy life with your chosen companion, it could also come with certain financial challenges. In particular, a second marriage...

The main difference between these two fiduciaries is the way how they will become the representatives of an estate and how they might carry out such responsibility. An executor is a person who is...

You may have heard the term “estate tax” (colloquially known as the “death tax”) thrown around. It’s a hot-button political topic that seems to crop up every so often, typically on the federal level,...

 A Will is one of the most important documents in an estate plan, not only because it allows you to dispose of your property as you wish but also to appoint a guardian...

 Virtually every jurisdiction in the world provides some protection to a decedent’s close family members preventing them from being completely disinherited. This level of protection can vary from effectively restricting a person from...

 Yes, New York has a progressive estate tax that varies from 5% up to 16%. This means that if you are a New York resident or have assets located in NY that exceeds...

Not everyone has a trust. Some don’t even know what a trust is or how it works. Others think that trusts are one of those planning tools only utilized by the wealthy. But virtually...

Estate planning is something many people have heard about but don’t completely understand. It’s more than just drafting a will. There are additional ways to protect your estate and give you more flexibility with...

Whenever I begin to draft a last will and testament, I pay special attention to the strict rules that must be followed so the Surrogate’s Court can recognize it. Failing to adhere to these...

Like many trusts and estates lawyers, I perform a “ceremony” at the time of a will signing. I gather witnesses together with the client in the same room and then ask the client several...