Have you thought about your personal future if you become ill or incapacitated? Long term care planning is an essential part of any responsible estate plan. Without these critical documents, you may leave your New York family members or beneficiaries without any...
When a person dies in New York State after having previously formed a will, that person is then considered a testate decedent. The Surrogate's Court of New York has the authority to supervise the appointment and qualification of any individuals named in the will as...
Nobody likes to think of heirs fighting over possessions, money or power after his or her death, but this is an all too common reality. Many people lose parts of their inheritance due to battles over the estate, but New York residents can lower the risk of a dispute...
During the next 30 to 40 years, the baby boomer generation is expected to leave approximately $30 trillion worth of inheritances to their children. These individuals will want to prepare their wills and estates the right way in order to limit the possibility of...
Losing a family member is always rough. Grief can be debilitating but is a necessary process that can also bring healing. The process of probating a will is often a task that is best done by a professional who can represent you instead of you having to deal with it....
Who can challenge a will? This may seem like a silly question -- you should be able to challenge any relative's estate plan, right? Not so fast. Experts in New York say that contesting a will requires a very specific set of circumstances. A relative who is miffed...
Although most of us dread thinking about our mortality, the fact remains that one day we will all eventually move on and leave other family members behind. Even if you don't own much property or assets, taking the time to create a will before you pass can save your...
When a loved one dies, many surviving family members are surprised to find out that the estate process is more complicated than they expected. How smoothly the process works is largely dependent on how well the person set his or her affairs in order, but even when...
Long term care planning is often done in a mad dash to help an elderly New York family member who has suddenly fallen ill. However, it is always best to complete one's long term care planning well in advance of when it needs to be used. Indeed, the earlier one takes...
In New York, many people set up a trust in order to add a layer of protection and place assets with a specifically designed legal entity. This may be a family member or, more often, a trusted attorney who approves expenditures from the trust. Sometimes it is necessary...
