When people learn they are going to be the beneficiaries of someone’s estate and will inherit property, many of them often wonder whether it will actually cost them money to do so. We often hear about raising or lowering the federal and state estate tax, sometimes referred to as “the…
A last will and testament spells out the final wish of the deceased, including how he or she wishes to allocate assets amongst friends and family. However, there are certain limitations to the extent deceased spouses may effectively cut out their surviving spouse from a will. Under New York estate…
As we all know, aging presents a new and unique set of challenges each of us will face as we grow older. Despite that, most of us expect to remain in our homes and continue living with the independence we enjoyed for our adult lives. While it is certainly possible…
The law generally gives benefactors great leeway to set conditions for beneficiaries to inherit assets from an estate or trust. This is because the benefactor has every right to disperse his or her assets while beneficiaries have no such right. Often called “dead hand control,” these conditions are often meant…
All grandparents want the best for their children and grandchildren and many take the initiative to set aside part of an estate to help future generations get a head start in life. Forward thinking grandparents should also be aware there are certain tax and entitlement benefits rules seniors need to…
The legal rights of illegitimate children and their ability to take under the terms of a trust have for years been the subject of many litigation proceedings. Illegitimate children are traditionally known as children who are born out of wedlock or to unmarried parents, however, the most widely known cases…
Winter months are difficult on many of those who live in areas that experience great seasonal changes. The National Center for Health Services actually found that death rates are twice as high in the winter than the hottest part of summer. Not only do we have bundle up and face…
Physician assisted suicide has been a controversial topic across the world, however as the reasoning behind it becomes better understood, many countries have chosen to legalize the practice for reasons outside of terminal illness. In the United States, in the past few decades, the public began to take notice with…
When we place our loved ones in the care of a nursing home we expect that they will be properly treated and cared for. Sadly, there are many instances where negligent care is given. In one recent case, a nursing home resident was seriously injured after being scaled by hot…
David Bowie’s Estate This year, we lost two music icons. While the death of Prince came as a surprise to the music community, David Bowie lost his battle with cancer. It was not surprising that David Bowie’s estate was left with almost $100 million dollars, a very large sum of…