Long-Term Care Planning is a Critical Part of Your Estate Plan
If you’re like most Americans who have worked hard, saved for retirement, and taken the time and trouble to structure your assets so that they will provide for you and for your heirs, you have [...]
Do You Really Need a Trust?
Although many people equate “estate planning” with having a will, there are many advantages to having a trust rather than a will as the centerpiece of your estate plan. While there are other estate planning [...]
Plan Your Estate to Avoid New Jersey Probate Conflicts
The loss of a loved one puts stress on individuals and on the family dynamic. Adding money and property to the mix can be a recipe for conflict—conflict that sometimes ends in estate litigation. When [...]
Managing Estate Debts for the Good of Your Heirs
Very few of us manage to plan our finances neatly enough that we die with zero debt. Even if you live largely debt-free, timing alone will typically result in a least a few outstanding medical [...]
Do You Really Need a Will?
You May Not Think You Need a Will, but You Really Do. Most Americans do not have a simple will as part of their estate plan. You might believe that a will is only for [...]
Transferring Mortgaged Real Property after Death
Mortgage debt can complicate bequests of real property in ways most people haven’t considered. These complications are manageable if you have planned appropriately, but may lead to unpleasant surprises if left to chance. If you [...]
Isn’t There Already A Law That Leaves Everything To My Spouse And Kids?
Many people think that if they die while they are married, everything they own automatically goes to their spouse or children. They’re actually thinking of state rules that apply if someone dies without leaving a [...]
Estate Planning for Parents of Adult Children
Even the best prepared parents don’t always recognize the need to reassess estate plans and property ownership when a child turns 18. In some ways, of course, your legal concerns are simplified when your child [...]
How Medicare and Employer Coverage Coordinate
Medicare benefits start at age 65, but many people continue working past that age, either by choice or need. It is important to understand how Medicare and employer coverage work together. Depending on your circumstances, [...]
Owe Back Taxes? The IRS May Grant You Uncollectible Status
Sometimes seniors find themselves owing past-due federal taxes they cannot afford to pay. Although notices from the IRS can be especially frightening, there are solutions.If the sum owed is less than $50,000, the IRS will [...]
Are Trusts Still Useful If the Estate Tax Is Repealed?
With Republicans in control of Congress and the presidency, there is talk of eliminating the federal estate tax. In 2017 the tax affects only estates over $5.49 million, meaning that for more than 99 percent of [...]
Relief From Medicare’s Part B Late-Enrollment Penalty Offered to Some
Medicare is offering relief from penalties for certain Medicare beneficiaries who enrolled in Medicare Part A and had coverage through the individual marketplace. For a short time, these individuals will be able to enroll in [...]
Tips for Working with a Law Firm
Get the Most Out of Your Work with Your Lawyer When you hire an attorney for estate planning, help with a loved one’s estate, or any other legal matter you want to make sure that [...]