Fake Will – An Extreme Example to Help Understand NJ Intestate Laws
Have you ever wondered what happens if you don’t have a Will? The answer is that you die intestate, and the laws of the state in which you are domiciled govern. Since reading through the statutes can be tricky, I have created a sample Fake Will so that you can better visualize the effect of […]
Appointment of a NJ Funeral Representative
In 2019, the State of New Jersey quietly updated the law with respect to the appointment of a Funeral Representative. Under the old law, in order to designate a Funeral Representative, the only way to do so was by inserting a provision in your Will. The new law allows a person to designate a Funeral […]
Florida Electronic Wills Soon To Be Legal
According to the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog, Florida has enacted a new law authorizing the use of Electronic Wills effective January 1, 2020. Florida is the fourth state to authorize the creation and storage of digital Wills. However, in my opinion, there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the use of such […]
Why You Should Have A Will
I am happy to announce that we have finally finished creating a series of short videos regarding the estate planning and estate administration process. Here is our first video “Why you Should Have A Will” talks about the importance of having a Will.
Repeal of the NJ Estate Tax – Should married couples update their wills?
Effective January 1, 2018, New Jersey repealed its estate tax. The question then become how does this affect you and do you need to do anything about it? For most people the change is a positive one because it means their heirs pay less taxes and they do not need to do anything to update […]
Why Titling Of Assets Is So Important In Second Marriages
I was talking to another estate planning recently and discussing how much of our work involves assisting clients who have blended families. Blended families generally refers to clients who are married but at least one of the spouses has a child from a previous relationship. In comparing stories and ways that we can assist clients, we discovered […]
Do I Need An Attorney To Prepare A Simple Will?
I occasionally get asked if it is really necessary to hire an attorney to prepare simple estate planning documents. Usually, the answer is NO, however, I find that once I start asking a few questions, most people really don’t need a simple Will and they would be much better served with professional guidance. Let me […]
Choosing an Executor, Trustee and Guardian
Clients frequently ask me for advice on who they should name as Executor, Trustee or Guardian when creating their Last Will and Testament. First, let me explain the difference between the three roles. The Executor The Executor is the person who probates your Will, goes into your house and looks through all your things, safeguards […]
When Should I Write a Will?
Many people question when they should start their estate planning. The short answer to this is that there is no specific age someone should see an attorney to plan their Will, Financial Power of Attorney and Advance Directive for Healthcare. However, you do need to be a minimum of 18 years of age. If you know […]