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Adding a child’s name to your deed can have significant consequences, particularly if you later need nursing home care and apply for Chronic Medicaid. Medicaid eligibility rules are complex, and transfers of property can directly affect whether benefits are approved.

In most cases, the need for guardianship does not arise suddenly. It develops quietly over time, as small warning signs begin to appear and slowly become harder to ignore. 

It’s important to let your attorney know what kind of protection you are looking for because the circumstances of your health and wealth will affect which plan is right for you and your spouse.

On Friday, February 6, 2026, Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill S138 (Assembly Bill A136), known as the Medical Aid in Dying Act, marking a significant shift in New York’s approach to end-of-life decision-making.

In December 2025, Governor Hochul enacted the New York Electronic Wills Act – new legislation which creates a framework for wills to be executed, attested to, and filed electronically.

Each new year brings changes from both the federal and state governments that can affect estate planning, estate administration, and elder planning.

An executor holds many important duties, and often must perform these obligations while navigating the grief of losing a loved one. Furthermore, complications such as advanced age or physical distance may make it difficult to perform the tasks required.

Different stages of life call for different goals. As 2025 ends, here are a few things to keep in mind depending on what season of life you are in. 

If you are outside of New York and you need someone to make financial and/or medical decisions for you, your Durable Power of Attorney (POA) and Health Care Proxy (HCP), which are tailored to New York law, are still valid in other states. 

Many parents want to transfer their home to their children during their lifetime. It may seem simple to sign a new deed and be done, but gifting real estate can have tax and legal consequences that may cost your family more in the long run.