Some estate planning concepts may seem so straight-forward that community members try to go it alone. After all, a will is just a document that clearly spells out one’s wishes and lists who gets what on a piece of paper. Other assets, like retirement funds, just need a beneficiary named.…
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New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
Federal Report: Key Indicators of Well-Being for Older Americans
There is a misconception that New York elder law estate planning is all about money. While finances are obviously central to this field, at the end of the day the main concerns are long-term well being. That is particularly true in the context of elder law. Ensuring adequate resources for…
Annual Gift Tax Exclusion Is Not Going Anywhere
With so much attention focused on the future of the estate tax rate and exemption levels, it is easy to forget about other tools to save on taxes while passing on assets. Perhaps the most easily understood is the “annual gift tax exclusion.” Each New York City estate planning lawyer…
Cost of Long-Term Care Insurance Rocketing
When working on a plan for a local resident, our New York elder law attorneys often advise on the importance of long-term care insurance (LTCI). Where affordable, long-term care insurance is an incredibly powerful tool that both protects assets from the possible costs following disability and creates an avenue by…
Feuding Continues Over Rosa Parks Estate
Forbes posted earlier this month on the continued squabbles over the estate of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. Unfortunately, our New York estate planning attorneys appreciate that the higher the profile of the individual (and the more assets at stake), the more common an inheritance fight is to arise. That…
Giving a Gift or Inheritance With Strings Attached
The possibilities to tailor an estate plan to one’s exact specifications is virtually endless. That is perhaps most evident in the various ways that heir’s can be required to meet certain guidelines as part of a gift or inheritance. The Wall Street Journal dove into this idea last week with…
Entire Estate Left to a Dog?
Ken5 News reported on a unique estate planning case this week involving a man who left a fortune to his favorite canine. The report explains how the man amassed a large collection of various valuables over his lifetime, from fine china to antique furniture. His possessions were enough to fill…
Naming Guardians for Children in New York Estate Plan
Designating inheritances is not the only purpose of a New York estate plan. Some local residents may feel like there is no rush to have a plan in place, because they do not have many assets to pass on or have no particular wishes about their possessions. But inheritances are…
Professional Guidance Helps Avoid IRA Scams
The financial world is a complex one. It is easy for local residents to get lost in the mire of special accounts and various loopholes to maximize their savings while protecting their hard-earned dollars. As always, the professional guidance of financial experts, estate planning attorneys, and others is usually the…
Estate Tax “Portability” Trap
Nothing is easy when dealing with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Even situations that seems straightforward or streamlined invariably involve developing complications that present headaches to taxpayers. Our New York estate planning attorneys know that this bears out in many planning issues. Take, for example, the estate tax. As helpfully…