Some parents are understandably concerned about how a large inheritance might affect their children. That concern is heightened the younger the child is. Eighteen years old may be the official “adult” demarcation line. But being a legal adult and having the actual maturity to handle large sums of money are…
Not many years ago student loans and estate planning were rarely discussed in the same sentence. That is because in decades past far fewer individuals took out student loans and, even when they did, the size of the loans were smaller. Things are changing, however. Higher education is becoming more…
The New York Times published a story this weekend on the continued uncertainty regarding the gift and estate tax and the questions it raises for many families. As each New York estate planning lawyer at our firm explains to local residents, the current tax situation is in flux, requiring many…
This week the USA Today shared a helpful story that analyzed some estate planning difficulties faced by certain families, often farmers, who have many physical assets but few liquid cash stockpiles. One obvious challenge for these families is dealing with the uncertainty of the estate tax. Estate tax considerations are…
For many the end of March represents the beginning of spring, warming weather, and the looming approach of baseball season. For others, this time of the year is consumed with the dread of having to deal with a fast-approaching tax deadline. There is usually little to look forward to in…
The world is a different place today than it was in 1950. Several decades ago the vast majority of families were of similar make-up: father, mother, kids, dog, house, and car. Inheritance planning in those situations often followed very predictable patterns. A spouse received the assets after a death, and…
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…
It is a common question asked by area seniors conducting New York estate planning: How do I know if I have enough money to last the rest of my life? There are no easy answers. A lot depends on the source of income that one has when conducting their planning…
Policy changes at the state and federal levels often have implications on New York estate planning. For example, we have frequently discussed the uncertainty that exists over the estate tax. Exemption levels and tax rates may very well hinge on exactly who wins various federal elections in November. While it…
Yesterday was Groundhog Day–that storied time when a prognosticating animal is supposed to tell us how many more weeks of winter we have left this season. According to most reports, yesterday the nation’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow and scurried back out of the cold. Apparently this…