Estate Planning

It’s hard not to recognize that the real estate market has shifted dramatically, with home prices rising exponentially in certain areas – and many industry experts think the trend will continue.  Even if you own a modest home, leaving it to your child or children...

When you’re thinking about your estate plans, sooner or later your mind is going to turn toward the smaller, tangible items that you own -- all of those little things that you’ve collected over the years. How do you divide those kinds of things up fairly? Before you...

You’re proud of your net worth, and you’ve spent decades amassing a nice amount of wealth for yourself. You’re not on the Forbes list, but you’re doing far better than the average person, even in New York.  Now you’re working on your estate plan, though, and one heir...

There may come a day when you need medical care but you aren't in a position to make your own medical decisions. Maybe you are in a coma because you were in a car crash, or maybe you suffered a pulmonary embolism. Any medical event that renders you unconscious or...

You often see people use the words “heir” and “beneficiary” interchangeably. They’ll say things like “I need to list my beneficiaries in my will to ensure that my heirs get the right assets.” The idea is that the two terms are just different words for the same thing....

Maybe you’re getting older, and you realize you need a plan for the future -- or maybe the events of the last few years have made you more conscious of your mortality. Either way, a living will is a good idea. A living will is a written declaration that helps clarify...

If you own artworks, you need to remember to include them in your estate plan. They may be among the most valuable things you own. They may require special treatment due to their nature. There are several ways to deal with art in your estate plan. You could place...

If you decide to get life insurance, one of the benefits is that your loved ones can receive a payout after you pass away. Life insurance can be extremely helpful in covering the cost of your funeral as well as with other financial issues following your death....

If you have many of your assets tied up in stocks, your goal is to maximize your earnings. You may be taking a long-term approach, so you worry that pulling the money out early is quite literally going to cost you.  At the same time, you’re doing your estate planning....

When choosing someone to be your agent through a power of attorney, it’s important to have the right person for the role. It’s common to pick a close family member, and this may be best, but you still want to carefully consider the traits you’re searching for. There...