Estate administrators are tasked with substantial, time-consuming and potentially contested responsibilities following the death of a loved one. While you may feel honored to take on the responsibility at the request of a family member or friend, the legal process to...
Not every New Yorker has an estate plan that details how he or she wants property distributed after death. Similarly, not every family situation is a smooth one where even an intestate case is relatively easy to deal with where the state will simply follow the law in...
When a person creates an estate plan, there are laws that dictate how it will be handled after that person - the testator - has died. This is true regardless of the device that is used in the estate plan such as a will, a trust or anything else. The surviving spouse...
New Yorkers will undoubtedly have a great deal on their plate when a loved one dies. Between the emotional impact and the need to plan for a funeral, many will believe that legal issues should take a backseat. However, while grieving is unavoidable and a natural human...
Recent posts have discussed how the changes to the tax laws under the Trump Administration could affect people who are seeking to avoid the inheritance tax and make sure their wealth protection strategies stand the test of time. A concern for many has been whether the...
As New Yorkers prepare an estate plan to divide their assets after their death and loved ones of a person who recently died set about to move forward with estate administration, the inheritance tax (also known as the estate tax) is an unavoidable concern. Fortunately,...
Fights over a loved one’s estate all too often overshadow a family’s ability to grieve their loss. In fact, family conflict is the biggest worry in estate planning today, according to recent survey of professionals at the Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate...
Family situations in New York can come in many shapes and sizes. Most are not neat, simple cases in which there are parents and marital children. There are divorces, remarriages, children with different parents, stepchildren, adopted children and more. While this is...
In New York State, the death of a loved one can be a difficult time for the family members left behind. The executor of the will, the status of the heirs and how probate administration will be handled are all issues that must be asked even in a time of sorrow. One...
With greater life experience comes greater expectations. As an individual who has faced and succeeded in their share of challenges, it is natural that the people will come to depend on you. For some, this may include depending on you to settle their end-of-life...
