A new book is being released entitled “The Adventures of a Free Lunch Junkie.” The author, an 86-year old retired man, wrote the interesting tome based on his goal of eating at 50 “free lunches” over the course of a year. Most of the lunches were obtained during seminars, explaining…
Schedule an in-office, Zoom or phone consultation Here.
New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
Man Tries to Kill Senior Girlfriend in Nursing Home for Financial Reasons
It is perhaps every senior’s worst nightmare: a dispute over their finances influences the care they receive in their later years. It seems self-evident that nothing should get in the way of making medical and caregiving decisions based on maximizing a senior’s quality of life–not maximizing an inheritance for others…
Death & Student Loan Obligations
Not many years ago student loans and estate planning were rarely discussed in the same sentence. That is because in decades past far fewer individuals took out student loans and, even when they did, the size of the loans were smaller. Things are changing, however. Higher education is becoming more…
Confusion, Disagreement Surrounding Painter Thomas Kinkade’s Wishes
An estimated one in every twenty homes contains a copy of the work of Thomas Kinkade–the painter best known for traditional works of gardens, cottages, streams, and small town centers. Considering the mass marking and popularity of his work, Kinkade was able to acquire a considerable fortunate over the years.…
Political Bequests in a Will
When an individual uses only a will (instead of a trust) and does not have professional advice, there is a greater chance that the intended beneficiaries will not receive the property that the testator (the person who creates a will) wanted them to receive. For one thing, the will itself…
The Bernard Matthews Case: Putting a Mistress in a Will
Last week AOL Money shared the story of yet another estate planning feud–this time involving Turkish business magnate Bernard Matthews who died two years ago when he was 80 years old. Like many others, Matthews family life did not quite fit the traditional mold. He married his wife decades ago…
Proposed New York Medicaid “Personal Care” Cuts Halted By Court
Not long ago a few residents received some disturbing news–the New York Medicaid support that they counted on to survive was being cut back. Many of these community members had severe disabilities, needing help with every aspect of their life, from dressing and bathing to eating and traveling. Many seniors…
Fundamentals of Estate Planning: Naming a Trustee
A trust is the central legal tool used to provide the flexibility and protection most residents use when planning for their long term financial, inheritance, and health care needs. There are many different types of trusts which provide different benefits to residents; each type comes with its own rules. However,…
Can Doctors Protect Retirees from Fraud?
As more and more information emerges about the true scope of senior financial exploitation, senior care advocates are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to tackling the problem. The latest statistics from MetLife suggest that, amazingly, one out of every five seniors over 65 years old have already be…
DOMA Challenges Mount
The Defense of Marriage Act continues to make headlines, as several states have now challenged the constitutionality of the federal law which defines marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. New York is among three states (including Vermont and Connecticut) which currently allow same-sex couples to wed and…