When a family clears out a parent’s Brooklyn apartment, the most daunting task is often the paperwork. Amid the bank statements and utility bills, you
A father passes away in his Manhattan apartment. His will—which no one will see until it’s filed with the court weeks later—states he wanted a
I once worked with a family from Brooklyn whose father had meticulously planned his legacy. He had written down his wishes, named his children as
A client came to my office last month. She’s an entrepreneur launching a new venture and wanted to protect her family’s Manhattan apartment from potential
I once worked with a family whose father built a successful plumbing supply business in Queens over forty years. He was the company. When he
When a family inherits a Brooklyn brownstone purchased by their parents in 1978 for $40,000, they rarely view themselves as heirs to a massive fortune.
When a family unlocks the door to a parents’ Brooklyn brownstone a month after the funeral, the immediate reality of estate administration sets in. Fifty
When a Manhattan business owner establishes a trust, they often name their most responsible child or a close sibling to manage the assets. To the
A client of mine, a surgeon with a successful practice in Manhattan, once asked me a question that gets to the heart of my work.
When a Brooklyn family loses a parent unexpectedly, the immediate grief is often interrupted by a harsh financial reality. The funeral director requires a deposit
I once had a client, a brilliant founder of a successful Manhattan advertising agency, who named her brother as the executor of her will. It
A client came to our firm last year in a difficult position. His mother, who lived in Brooklyn, had added him to the deed of
A call comes from a hospital in Nassau County. Your mother had a fall. She’s stable, but the doctors are talking about long-term care, and
The call often comes from an adult child in Queens. Their mother has passed away, they’ve found the will tucked away in a safe deposit
A widowed father in Brooklyn decides to save his children the trouble of probate. Without consulting counsel, he downloads a basic quitclaim form online and
When a Manhattan family loses a parent who relied solely on a basic will, the next nine to twelve months generally belong to Surrogate’s Court.
A client recently came to our Manhattan office with what she thought was a simple request. Her mother, living in the same Brooklyn brownstone for
The certified mail arrives. Inside is a citation from the New York Surrogate’s Court, naming you as a respondent in a proceeding to contest your
I often meet with families in our Manhattan office who believe their assets are straightforward—a paid-off home in Brooklyn, some investments, and clear intentions for
I recently met with a family whose father had passed away in Brooklyn. He had a will, one he’d signed nearly twenty years ago. But
When a Brooklyn father suffers a sudden stroke, a simple last will and testament offers exactly zero protection. I see this harsh reality play out
When a Manhattan family discovers that their father attempted to update his estate plan by typing a one-page addendum and signing it at his kitchen
A Manhattan family recently discovered the brutal mathematical reality of improper planning. After their father passed away, the executor gathered the assets—a primary residence, a
A few years ago, a new client called me from a hospital in Brooklyn. Her father had a severe stroke and could not communicate. She
A client from Manhattan sat in my office last week, confident he had settled his affairs. “I’ve made it simple,” he said. “I added my
When a Queens father passes away unexpectedly, the first crisis usually hits within twenty-four hours. Two adult children sit in a funeral director’s office, exhausted
Navigating the complex and often overwhelming world of nursing home care is a task that many adult children find themselves faced with as their parents
When a Brooklyn family loses a parent who lived alone, the immediate aftermath is often a chaotic search for paperwork. I regularly meet with adult
A new client recently came to our Manhattan office with a will he’d downloaded from a website for $99. He was proud of his efficiency.
An executive retires to Boca Raton, trading a high state income tax for Florida sunshine. He properly establishes his new domicile, updates his driver’s license,
