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Hon. Gail Prudenti Selected as a Top Lawyer in Long Island
We're excited to announce that Hon. Gail Prudenti has be recognized by the Long Island Herald as a 2024 Top Lawyer of Long Island award recipient for her excellence in the Trusts and Estates practice area.
Many people choose to invest in a life insurance policy. Some choose to purchase a term life insurance policy wherein the insured pays a premium for a period of years and if he or she passes away during that period of time, the policy will pay out to the designated beneficiaries, while others purchase whole life insurance which works more like an investment product and has a guaranteed payout no matter the insured’s age.
A credit shelter trust (CST) is an estate planning tool used for married couples to help reduce, if not eliminate, estate tax due at the death of the surviving spouse.
Whenever I hear someone say they wrote their own Last Will and Testament, a familiar phrase comes to mind, “Don’t try this at home!” Unless you are an experienced estate planning attorney, it is not a good idea to write your own Will, or to order a Will off a generic, non-state specific website.
Estate planning is just as vital for the single person as it is for a married couple. A comprehensive estate plan details how assets will be distributed upon death and also sets forth a strategy for incapacity.
Question: My parents are concerned about protecting their home. Some people have recommended that we consider creating a trust while others have suggested that they transfer the house to my siblings and me, with my parents retaining a life estate, which is a better idea?
Question: I have recently rolled over my employer sponsored 401(k) plan into an existing IRA. I am not sure if I need to update the beneficiary designation forms on file; can you give me some advice?
When a couple marries later in life, after they both had children of their own, their estate plans need to take their blended family into account. For example, there are estate planning techniques such as Qtip Trusts that allow income to the surviving spouse for life, with property passing to children upon the surviving spouse’s death.
Question: Several years ago, I went to a lawyer who convinced me to do a trust. Now, I am not so sure that it was the right thing for me. Am I able to revoke a trust? Should I revoke my trust?
Elder Law attorneys hear this question constantly. Typically, once people reach a certain age there is pressure to transfer assets to their children for unspecified “asset protection” reasons.
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Estate planning is all about preparation and ensuring that your assets are distributed in line with your wishes. It’s a comfort knowing your loved ones will be cared for just as you intend. However, life’s unpredictability sometimes throws a curveball. What if a beneficiary becomes disabled after you’ve finalized your estate plan?
Estate planning involves careful consideration of various factors to ensure that your assets are protected and distributed according to your wishes. One element that can add an extra layer of flexibility and protection to your trust is the inclusion of a Trust Protector.
Everyone knows the statistics – almost 50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce. Second and third marriages fail at an even higher rate.
Mental illness refers to a wide range of conditions that affect an individual’s mood, thinking, and behavior. These conditions can affect a person’s ability to function in daily life and can vary in severity from mild to severe.
When the SECURE Act passed in 2019, the biggest impact on estate planning was the elimination of the “lifetime stretch” for most beneficiaries of individual retirement plans (IRAs).
We use the phrase “estate plan” dozens of times every day. It is useful for us attorneys because it describes a group of documents. Unfortunately, estate planning sounds much fancier than it is.