Every year, thousands of people die in New Jersey and New York without estate plans in place. Their families often end up in probate court arguing over what happens to their most valuable assets. These disputes can do long-lasting damage to family relationships and...
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Estate Planning
Can you protect a biological child’s inheritance if you remarry?
Blended families can be full of conflict, and stepparents and their stepchildren have notoriously uneasy relationships. You may worry about what will happen to your assets and your children after you’re gone if you leave their stepparent in charge of everything. There...
Choosing a suitable guardian for your children
Estate planning discussions often center around money. While a significant part of the process does involve distributing assets and inheritance, there are other factors to consider. If you have children, then you are going to need to make provisions for their care...
Why should you revisit your estate plan after losing your spouse?
Even if they had a lengthy illness and you both anticipated their passing, losing your spouse is devastating. You never imagined having to prepare for life without them. The decision of what should happen to your property after your death is one of life's difficult...
5 health care proxy mistakes to avoid
You should include a health care proxy in your estate plan to have someone (a family member or close friend) make health care decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitate. Health care providers will follow your wishes and your chosen agent's decisions. ...
Why you should have a power of attorney
When making an estate plan, you have the option of including a power of attorney alongside your will, funeral arrangements and executor of the estate. A power of attorney is a representative you designate to make decisions on your behalf. Your power of attorney...
Should I stay in a nursing home or have an in-home aide?
When laying out the estate planning process, most people tend to focus on how they will distribute an estate or large sums of money. Nevertheless, there’s another thing they need to consider: a long-term care plan. Many individuals experience failing health during...
How does your home fit into your estate plan?
Estate planning for your home can be fairly complicated. On one hand, it’s a very valuable asset, so you know that it’s a major part of your plan. On the other hand, it is much different than strict financial assets that you are leaving to your heirs, or even smaller,...
Why do people avoid estate planning?
Creating an estate plan and maintaining it up to date is crucial. Yet, recent research shows that only a third of adults living in the U.S. have even made one. If you, too, have not made yours, see if any of the following reasons sound familiar: I haven’t gotten...
Can you reduce estate taxes?
Estate planning is a crucial step in protecting your assets and loved ones. But it faces taxes which can result in financial issues for beneficiaries. Nonetheless, there is an exemption for this tax. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the basic exclusion...
