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...
Eldercare Lawyer Blog
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....
One Lawyer, One Client
When I first opened my law practice twenty-five years ago, I knew that I would concentrate in one area—elder law. There are many benefits to...
Protecting Your Assets from Medicaid
For years, I have been using an irrevocable trust to protect a client’s home from the cost of long-term care. I successfully used such a trust to...
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...
Estate Planning Resolutions You Might Actually Keep
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....
One Guardian or More Than One?
I have been practicing elder law for twenty-five years. During that time, I have been involved in hundreds (if not thousands) of guardianship...
Stepping Up With Irrevocable Trusts
In 2023, the United States Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) issued a revenue ruling concerning irrevocable grantor trusts and whether the assets...
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...
Applying for Medicaid
I have been helping clients apply for Medicaid benefits for nearly twenty-five years. Medicaid is a health payment plan for needy individuals....
A Trust Can Change How Assets Are Exposed
When it comes to protecting assets, a trust is one of the most commonly discussed tools—but it’s not always as simple as it sounds. Different types...
Mom’s Journey to the Nursing Home, Part II
The last article I wrote began mom’s journey to the nursing home. Mom had fallen at home and broken her hip. After a brief stay in the hospital in...
Mom’s Journey to the Nursing Home
When a parent needs long-term care, there is often a common pattern. Mrs. Smith, aged 85, falls at home and breaks her hip. She is taken to a...
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Recent Posts
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...
Gift and Estate Tax: The Boogeyman Explained
Beginning in 2026, the federal lifetime exclusion against gift and estate tax is scheduled to increase to $15,000,000 per individual. In simple terms, this means that a person can give away—or die owning—up to $15 million in assets without paying any federal gift or...
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