Your last will and testament is an incredibly important legal document needed to ensure New York probate courts carry out your final wishes and ensure your heirs receive the portion of your estate so delegated. After going through all of the careful considerations of consulting with family, speaking to an…
When planning for our later years, forward thinking individuals often wonder what is the best way to spend down their assets to qualify for Medicaid but still live a comfortable and dignified life until services like nursing care are absolutely needed. With the value of real estate skyrocketing over recent…
Once a tool for wealthy families to protect their assets when heirs got married, prenuptial agreements are now much more common in our society. Typically, such agreements cover property rights and other aspects of asset retention – but they can also set forth provisions for how each spouse will handle…
There are a number of reasons that people create joint bank accounts. Perhaps you and your spouse want to share a bank account to help simplify your marital finances. You may use joint bank accounts to help teach your children the importance of budgeting and financial planning. You may even…
Most folks never believe they or their elders could be the victim of financial exploitation by a family member or a caretaker but the truth is that every year, millions of well meaning or vulnerable individuals find themselves taken advantage of. Even independent and acute elders can find themselves fleeced…
In today’s day and age, identity theft is all too common a problem. In fact, the news is often filled with horror stories related to identity theft. Identity theft is a serious problem that can wreak havoc on your life, and it can also have a significant impact on your…
There are two main types of trusts: revocable and irrevocable. Basically, each trust is self-explanatory on the surface. For the most part, you have unfettered ability to revoke or amend a revocable trust. In contrast, it is extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to revoke or even amend an irrevocable trust.…
Individuals with disabled family members understand the many obstacles life can put in front of them and their family, especially when it comes to finances. For many, having a permanent disability can mean being unable to provide for oneself and that can mean relying on benefits from social welfare programs…
In the second part of our two-part series on recognizing fraudulent Wills, we will continue to explore various characteristics of a Last Will and Testament that might indicate it is fraudulent. While some of the factors in the first part of this series might be a little more obvious, the…
In New York, patients have the right to make many decisions about their end of life care and even appoint a representative to do so in their interests if circumstances leave them unable to make such decisions for themselves. Using what is known as a Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment…