It is a common TV and fiction fantasy: your life changes in the blink of an eye when you discover that you’ve inherited a fortune from an unknown relative who passed away. While the dream is far-fetched and rarely based on true-life, it is not entirely without precedent. Every once…
When an individual uses only a will (instead of a trust) and does not have professional advice, there is a greater chance that the intended beneficiaries will not receive the property that the testator (the person who creates a will) wanted them to receive. For one thing, the will itself…
Last week AOL Money shared the story of yet another estate planning feud–this time involving Turkish business magnate Bernard Matthews who died two years ago when he was 80 years old. Like many others, Matthews family life did not quite fit the traditional mold. He married his wife decades ago…
A trust is the central legal tool used to provide the flexibility and protection most residents use when planning for their long term financial, inheritance, and health care needs. There are many different types of trusts which provide different benefits to residents; each type comes with its own rules. However,…
The Defense of Marriage Act continues to make headlines, as several states have now challenged the constitutionality of the federal law which defines marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. New York is among three states (including Vermont and Connecticut) which currently allow same-sex couples to wed and…
Two of the most common claims local seniors give for failing to visit with a New York estate planning lawyer are: (1) I do not have much wealth, so I don’t need fancy planning. (2) I just want my children to split everything and make decisions together. Neither of these…
Classic female crooner Etta James left the world an indelible collection of timeless musical standards. Beyond her music, estate planning attorneys have explained that since her passing earlier this year, Ms. James has also left the world a wealth of estate planning lessons regarding both the good and bad ways…
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a federal law passed in 1996 that defines marriage for federal purposes as only between one man and one woman. As our New York estate planning lawyers have often discussed, this means that same-sex couples married in our state are still not considered…
Modern New York estate plans require consideration of a range of issues that were unheard of even a few decades ago. Of course some of the core aspects remain the same, such as deciding how to pass on tangible assets like the house, car, and personal property. But in this…
Few spouses are thinking clearly after they lose their partner. Yet, it is usually at that time when many major financial and legal decisions must be analyzed and made by the grieving widow or widower. Our New York estate planning lawyers know that families are able to provide much relief…