At a funeral, someone might say “Godspeed.” It’s a final, heartfelt wish for a safe journey into the unknown. For one person in that room,
I often meet families in Brooklyn who believe a simple will is all they need. They’ve worked their entire lives, built a business, or carefully
When a Manhattan family reviews their father’s bank statements and discovers unexplained transfers to a sibling’s personal account, the dynamics of estate planning shift from
I often meet with business owners who have spent 30 years building a company from the ground up. They’ve accumulated significant personal assets, but one
When a Manhattan family loses a parent whose only estate planning document was a simple will, they often assume the transfer of assets will be
When the last surviving parent passes away in a Brooklyn brownstone held by the family for fifty years, the heirs inherit more than real estate.
I recently met with a Suffolk County couple who believed they had done everything right. They drafted a will twenty years ago when their first
A client once came to my Manhattan office, confident his family was secure. He had a two-million-dollar term life insurance policy, and he had dutifully
When a Manhattan executive dies unexpectedly, their carefully drafted will is often the first document the family pulls from the safe. But if that executive
I often meet families after a crisis. A parent passes away in Brooklyn, and in their desk drawer, the children find a will downloaded from
You receive a Citation from a New York Surrogate’s Court. A relative has passed away, their will has been submitted for probate, and you are
In a world where nursing home abuse and neglect run rampant, it is imperative to take proactive steps to protect your beloved home from falling
When a Brooklyn family loses a parent unexpectedly, the surviving spouse often assumes the family home and bank accounts will simply transfer over to them.
I once met a successful business owner who believed his affairs were in order. He had a family, a thriving company, and a simple will
The check arrives. It may be for six or even seven figures, the result of a long and harrowing civil lawsuit on behalf of a
Understanding Medicaid Asset Protection Trust in New York When it comes to planning for long-term care and preserving your assets, a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust
A client came to my Manhattan office last month with what he thought was a simple plan. He wanted to give his son, a recent
A father in Brooklyn wants to add his adult son to the deed of the family brownstone. He’s been told a quitclaim deed is the
When a Will Is More Than Just a Piece of Paper A client once came into my Manhattan office with his mother’s will. It was
A construction worker in Queens receives a seven-figure settlement after a fall. The legal battle is over. He deposits the check and plans for his
I once had a client, a lifelong resident of Manhattan with a significant art collection. His plan was straightforward: his three children would inherit the
When a Brooklyn physician faced a staggering malpractice judgment in 2018 that exceeded his insurance limits, his most valuable asset—a brownstone owned outright with his
A client recently came into my Manhattan office with a common question. He and his wife owned a home, had two children, and ran a
The call I dread receiving is the one that comes too late. It’s often from an adult child in Brooklyn whose parent has just had
A client recently sat in my office on Madison Avenue, the binder containing his mother’s trust on the table between us. He was named successor
When an estranged uncle passes away in a Brooklyn brownstone with no known family, the state dictates the next few years. Neighbors eventually notice his
I’ve sat in many living rooms after a funeral. The family is gathered—perhaps in a familiar Brooklyn home—numb and trying to make sense of what
Three siblings stand in a Brooklyn driveway. Their mother passed away six months ago without a will, leaving behind a paid-off rowhouse. Under New York
Every few years, a client sits across from my desk in Manhattan and asks a question that borders on science fiction. They do not just
I once worked with a family whose mother, a lifelong Brooklyn resident, had named her eldest son as the executor of her will. It was
