Rochester Estate Planning Law Blog
5 reasons why new parents need a will
When you welcome your first child, your life forever changes. For the first few months, you are busy caring for a newborn—figuring out how to soothe your child, feed them and survive some sleepless nights. While many parents do lots of research on the best car seat,...
What’s holding Americans back from forming an estate plan?
Americans are confused. They're confused about estate planning and rightfully so, it's a diverse topic. Should you create a will, a trust or both? It depends because they serve different purposes, but both can be beneficial to form a complete estate plan. Will and...
6 things to consider when choosing an executor
In New York, estates are settled through probate by an executor, who is named in the will or estate plan. If there is no executor, or the named executor is unable to serve, the estate can be probated by an administrator, typically a professional, who is appointed by...
Why small business owners need an estate plan
Creating an estate plan is an important responsibility that can help you ensure that your family is taken care of in the event of your death. If you’re a small business owner, this responsibility is even more important, as both your business and your family could face...
Ex-manager for Stan Lee charged with elder abuse and more
You may remember when comic creator Stan Lee began creating some of our most beloved pop culture figures in the 1960s. Lee’s popularity only grew through the years as his creations expanded to television, movies and more. In late 2018, Lee passed away at the age of...
Parents of minor children may prefer leaving assets in a trust
Parents of young children usually have different estate planning considerations than parents of adult children have. One of those considerations should be who to appoint as the guardian of minor children in case both parents unexpectedly pass away. However, a less...
The importance of a last will and testament
Some may believe writing a “last will and testament” can wait until tomorrow. But tomorrow is not guaranteed. If you don't write or help create “a will” and pass on, New York State will take over and divide the assets. The state has defined standards for dividing an...
A family meeting can prevent some disputes over your estate plan
You may feel uncomfortable bringing up your estate plan with family, and some family members may even try to change the topic when you do so. However, many benefits can come from talking with your loved ones about your estate plan.Communicating at least the basics...
When is it important for me to update my estate plan?
For many New Yorkers, the creation of an estate plan is viewed as final with no changes necessary. Some might have taken a significant amount of time before finally crafting an estate plan to prepare for the future, but when they did they were fully prepared to leave...
Can I file an estate proceeding after a person’s death?
In New York, there are many questions that heirs will have after the death of a loved one. Estate and probate can be complicated and confusing and it is even more difficult if there was no will. A person who died intestate might have done so because they did not...
