When people begin the estate planning process, they often hear that they “need a trust.” The truth is more nuanced. Trusts can be extremely useful,...
Eldercare Lawyer Blog
Estate Planning
Living Documents
For more than 26 years, I have practiced elder law in New Jersey. Over that time, I have drafted tens of thousands of estate-planning documents—last...
Gift and Estate Tax: The Boogeyman
Beginning in 2026, the federal lifetime exclusion against gift and estate tax is scheduled to increase to $15,000,000 per individual. In simple...
Why Everyone Should Have a Power of Attorney
Few legal documents offer more practical protection than a Durable General Power of Attorney (POA). It ensures that someone you trust can manage...
The Hidden Tax Break
When it comes to real estate, most people focus on the obvious—mortgage rates and neighborhood values. But there’s a quieter financial reality...
Legal Documents Every Parent Should Have
All three of my children are in college and over eighteen. Though I still think of them as kids, the law sees them as adults. The moment a person...
“Do I Have To Pay Mom’s Credit Card Bills?”
“My mother died recently. She had about $20,000 in credit card debt. I am the executor of her estate. Do I have to pay that credit card debt or did...
A Reasonable Flat Fee
I have been practicing elder law for twenty-five years. Most of my practice is transactional law, as opposed to litigation. I draft estate planning...
Wills Must Be Drafted Carefully
A last will and testament is a document through which a person passes his assets on to others after his death. A Will is also a document through...
Do I Need a Trust?
“Do I need a trust?” I hear this question all the time from clients. There is no easy answer because the reason a person may need a trust varies....
Having an Estate Plan
In my lifetime, several United States presidents have passed away, and one thing I notice about presidents is, each of them planned out their...
New Year’s Estate Planning Resolutions
It’s another new year. Many of us will enter resolutions with ourselves—either spoken or unspoken—things we want to accomplish in the new year. I...
Will I Pay Estate Tax?
The new year is upon us, and with that, the federal government has issued new numbers for the credit equivalent against federal estate and gift tax....
Where Did My Money Go? Understanding What Happens to Assets After Death
Many families are surprised to learn that assets do not always pass according to a will. Accounts with named beneficiaries, jointly held property,...
Applying for Medicaid: Cost and Services
In last week’s article, I wrote about non-attorney Medicaid application companies. Medicaid is a health payment plan for needy individuals. Medicaid...
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Recent Posts
Protecting Your Assets Starts with Choosing the Right Trust
When clients come to my office asking about living trusts, they often arrive with the assumption that a trust is a trust. That any trust will protect their assets, simplify their estate, and spare their family from the headaches of probate. The reality is more...
A Trust Isn’t Always the Default Answer
When people begin the estate planning process, they often hear that they “need a trust.” The truth is more nuanced. Trusts can be extremely useful, but the right kind of trust depends entirely on your goals, your assets, and your family circumstances. For most people,...
Understanding the Medicaid Five-Year Lookback Period
When someone applies for long-term care Medicaid, one of the most important rules is the five-year lookback period. This rule determines whether the applicant made any gifts or transfers of assets that could delay eligibility for benefits. Despite frequent...
Protecting Your Home from Long-Term Care Costs
For many families, the home is their largest and most meaningful asset. It represents a lifetime of work and is often what parents hope to pass on to their children. Unfortunately, rising long-term care costs put that goal at serious risk. In New Jersey, nursing home...
Living Documents
For more than 26 years, I have practiced elder law in New Jersey. Over that time, I have drafted tens of thousands of estate-planning documents—last wills and testaments, financial general durable powers of attorney, and advance health care directives. These documents...
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Sea Girt (732) 974-8898 Middletown (732) 706-8008