IT'S YOUR MONEY, SO IT'S YOUR WAY A Will allows you to leave your assets to whomever you wish. A Will also allows you to avoid leaving your assets...
Eldercare Lawyer Blog
Why Planning Matters Even When the Future Is Uncertain
This week the brother of a childhood friend of mine died. My friend's brother was thirty-seven years old. I remember the brother as a big, strong...
Where Do I Keep My Documents
NOW WHERE DID I LEAVE MY WILL? You've always heard how important it is to plan ahead. So, you go to a lawyer and have a Will, financial powers of...
What Is a Trust
WHAT IS A TRUST "I want a trust," says the man who has come to see me today. When I inquire further, he's uncertain as to why he wants a trust. He's...
What Does It Mean “To Hold Money In Trust”?
What does it mean "to hold money in trust"? Trusts are difficult to understand. Mention the word "trust," and people become instantly confused. If a...
When the Tax Man Comes: Estate Planning Realities
BUSH KILLED THE DEATH TAX, AND STILL THE TAX MAN COMETH If you have read the newspapers or watched television since the spring, you probably have...
The Estate Tax Is Back
NEW JERSEY PASSES NEW ESTATE TAX LAW The estate tax is back. Well, at least in New Jersey. And I hate to tell you that I told you so, but I have...
The Best Made Plans
THE BEST MADE PLANS SOMETIME GO AWRY I often talk to the public about Medicaid and Medicaid planning. Frequently, a member of the audience will have...
That’s My Boy
This past week my first child, a son, was born. I can't tell you how happy I am. In his face I see posterity. In my wife's face, I see the pure joy...
Stretching a Retirement Plan
How far can you stretch your retirement plan? Estate planners often talk about "stretching" an individual retirement account (IRA) or defined...
Are Social Security Benefits Taxable?
TAXING SOCIAL SECURITY Many retirees are surprised to learn that Social Security benefits may be subject to federal income tax depending on overall...
Social Security 101: Retirement, Disability & Survivor Benefits
If you don't already, someday, you will probably receive Social Security benefits. Currently, over 90% of all retirees receive Social Security...
Simple Will Definition
I Wanted a Simple Will Most people think their Last Will and Testament is a "simple Will." After all, it's simple to them; they know how they want...
Simple Will
How Much for a Simple Will? "I need a simple Will," the woman's voice said from the other end of the telephone line. "How much do you charge for a...
A Proposal That Didn’t Stick—and What That Means
SENATE REFUSES TO KILL DEATH TAX Last week a bill introduced to the United States Senate that would have made the repeal of the federal estate tax...
Categories
Recent Posts
VINDICATION AFTER A DECADE … SORT OF
In 2011, which surprisingly was ten years ago, I argued a case before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, a federal appellate court. The Third Circuit is a very respectable court. It’s the court immediately below the Supreme Court of the United States, so I was...
Trusts Can Be a Good Idea
Using a trust in your estate plan can be a valuable tool, but many people are intimidated and confused when they hear the word “trust.” A trust conjures up images of your money being held with some large financial institution that manages the money and your...
Making the Tough Decision About a Loved One’s Care
Few moments are harder for families than realizing a loved one may no longer be able to live safely or manage things on their own. The conversations can be uncomfortable, and the decisions can feel overwhelming. But avoiding the issue usually makes things harder...
Activating Your Estate Plan
A core piece of advice that I give to almost all of my clients is to have their basic estate planning documents—a last will and testament, a financial power of attorney, and an advanced health care directive—in place. After clients sign these documents, they often...
Medicaid Handlers Aren’t There To Help You
In the past five years, I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of non-attorney Medicaid Application Handlers (“Handlers”). As the name states, the Handlers are not attorneys and cannot provide any form of legal advice without committing a crime—the...
Archives
To schedule a consultation with the Law Offices of John W. Callinan, call our office closest to you:
Sea Girt (732) 974-8898 Middletown (732) 706-8008