According to the ASPCA, 1.5 million animals are euthanized in the United States each year.  That’s why it’s so important to have a plan for your pet in the event of your death or disability. With a proper plan, your pets will be cared for by the person you chose who can be provided with […]

A frequent request I receive when working with a client on a probate or administration matter is to help them locate all of the assets in the estate. They want to make sure they collect all of the accounts, policies, and real property that their loved one left behind, but they may not know what […]

Making the decision to finally sit down with an estate planning attorney to discuss your wishes can be a daunting prospect. Concerns about cost should not address stress to the process. In this article, we discuss four tips that consumers should take into consideration to maximize their value and keep costs down. Tip #1. Talk […]

Probate in New York costs less than most people expect. For an uncontested estate where the will is clear and the family agrees, the realistic total is the court's filing fee, which runs from $45 to $1,250 depending on the size of the estate, plus legal fees of around $3,000 to $3,500. Executor commissions are […]

Costs of Estate Planning While estate planning is one of the most significant things you can do to safeguard your loved ones after you pass on as well as to ensure your care in case of incapacity, it is generally thought of as expensive. If you have been putting off the idea of planning your […]

When drafting a will for a client, it is important that an estate planning attorney remember that we are doing more than putting together a legal document – we are also offering peace of mind. With that goal in mind, it is important to discuss four basic areas to help us tailor a last will […]

Imagine buying a beautiful new family car, taking it home, and leaving it parked in your garage. Then, instead of using your shiny new vehicle to transport your family, you use public transportation to get you and your family around. As silly as that sounds, that is what happens to many clients who establish trusts […]

Few joys in life match that of being a new parent. The moment your child is born, a tectonic shift takes place which makes even the most easygoing person lose sleep over their child's future. The sense of optimism and hope parents feel when holding a newborn is counterbalanced with the heavy weight of responsibility. […]

Young people, including the author, tend to think they are invincible. They don’t plan on getting sick or even worse, dying. Why, then, do they need an estate plan? For the same reason that older people create them: we are all mortals with a finite lifespan and no guarantee of good health. Young families do, […]

I often receive phone calls from potential clients asking whether, as an estate planning and elder attorney, I recommend that they add their children as co-owners to the deed of their house, co-op, or condominium. The callers are usually concerned with avoiding probate or protecting their home from Medicaid if they need long term care. […]