“When I qualify for Medicaid benefits will I lose my Medicare benefit?” I get this question quite often from clients. A substantial part of my...
Eldercare Lawyer Blog
Can the Nursing Home Send Mom Home?
When a family member needs long-term care in a nursing home, her family is often distraught—distraught because mom is failing mentally and...
Should I Have a Trust?
“Should I have a trust?” I get this question a lot from clients. There is no one answer to this question; just as there is no one trust. In order...
Joint Ownership Can Cause Problems
“Should I add one of my children to my bank account?” It is a question I have received on a regular basis from clients for the past twenty plus...
The New Jersey Exit Tax
There are no assets more important to a person than her home. I meet with clients every day who ask me questions about protecting their homes from...
Wait … Is This Even Legal?
There are many misconceptions that surround elder law. The defining feature of elder law is Medicaid planning. Medicaid planning is a form of...
Do I Need To List My Assets in My Will?
Does a last will and testament have to list all of your assets? Many of my clients believe that a Will must list all of their assets—who gets the...
Probate Is Simple
When a parent dies, her family members need to settle her financial affairs. The need to settle a person’s financial affairs is the source of great...
Be Proud, But Plan
Estate planning for a gay couple requires that the attorney consider several issues. One of the most important issues is the legal status of the...
I Want To Avoid Probate
“I want to make it as easy as possible for my family after I die. What should I do? How do I avoid probate? I heard probate was complicated.” These...
What Taxes Will My Family Actually Have to Pay?
What taxes will my family pay after I die? Many of my clients are concerned about the taxes their family will have to pay after their death, so I...
An Irrevocable Trust Isn’t the Only Way Forward
“Can I use a revocable trust for that instead of an irrevocable trust?” I get that question a lot from clients. Whether you need a revocable or an...
Planning for a Second Marriage
What should a married couple in a second marriage consider when drafting their last wills and testaments? Oftentimes, each spouse in a second...
How the Sausage Is Made: Estate Planning Insights
I draft a lot of financial powers of attorney, health care directives, and last wills. A lot. For the young and for the old, even though I am...
What Type of Trust Do I Need?
When should I have a revocable trust? When should I have an irrevocable trust? I hear these questions often from clients. I always like to start...
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Recent Posts
Understanding the Role of a Guardian in New Jersey
Planning for the future is something many people postpone until it is too late. In New Jersey, when an individual becomes unable to manage their own personal, financial, or health-related affairs, the absence of proper planning can lead to the need for a...
Why a Power of Attorney Matters More Than You Think
Few legal documents offer more practical protection than a Durable General Power of Attorney (POA). It ensures that someone you trust can manage your finances if you become ill, incapacitated, or simply unavailable to sign a document. Yet many residents of New Jersey...
Why a Revocable Trust Can Save You Headaches
When people hear the term “trust,” they often think about taxes, wealth, or complicated legal maneuvers. But the most practical reason for creating a revocable living trust is much simpler: avoiding probate in other states. Probate in New Jersey: Quick and Easy Here...
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 lurking in the tax code that can make an enormous difference to families: the step-up in basis. It’s an under-appreciated...
Putting Your House in Trust: A Key Step in Medicaid Planning
When it comes to protecting assets from the high cost of long-term care, few strategies are as powerful—or as misunderstood—as placing your home in trust. In my practice, I work with clients every day who are either actively receiving care in a nursing home or...
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Sea Girt (732) 974-8898 Middletown (732) 706-8008