General Blog

A tax basis is essentially the purchase price of a piece of property. Whenever that property is sold, the seller must pay taxes on the difference between the sale price and the original purchase price. This concept applies to all property, including stocks, bonds, vehicles, mechanical equipment, and real estate. If debts are assumed along with the purchase price, the…Read More

There are many reasons why a person might leave a spouse or another loved one out of his or her will. It is possible that the will in question was executed prior to a marriage and was never properly updated. It may also be the case that the husband and wife, though still technically married, are estranged, and do not…Read More

A past client recently emailed me an article from the New York Post about a custody battle over a recently deceased person’s dog. The judge in the case ruled that the dog should be considered property, and that what was in the best interest of the dog was not something he was going to consider. As a result, the dog…Read More

An executor's fee is the amount charged by the person who has been appointed as the executor of the probate estate for handling all of the necessary steps in the probate administration. Therefore, if you have been appointed an executor of someone’s estate, you might be entitled to a fee for your services. This fee could be based upon a…Read More

It is a sad reality, but reality nonetheless: scammers love to target the elderly. Perhaps it is due to their trusting nature, presumably large savings account, or even their difficulty hearing over the phone that makes them vulnerable – but seniors account for roughly $2.6 billion in lost assets due to investment fraud each year. A truly shocking and pitiful…Read More

Many of us have been lucky enough to acquire timeshares for the purposes of vacationing on our time off. Some of us would like to leave these assets to our loved ones. If you have a time share, you might be able to leave it to your heirs in a number of different ways. One way of leaving your timeshare…Read More

What Is The Difference Between A Living Will And A DNR? For most of us, it is uncomfortable to think about our own death. But, as people are living longer and medical technologies are becoming more advanced, it has become more likely that you will end up in a position where you are alive but unable to tell others what…Read More

While the terms "estate tax" and "inheritance tax" are often used interchangeably, they are not synonymous. Let's try to clarify the difference. Estate Tax Estate tax is based on the net value of the deceased owner's property. An estate tax is applied to these assets when they are transferred to the beneficiary. It is important to remember that an estate…Read More

Can An Individual Residing Out Of State Act As My Executor? A last will and testament, commonly known as a will, is a document that instructs those left behind on the way in which a deceased individual would like his financial and personal matters to be administered. A well thought-out will specifies the distribution of assets and guardianship of minor…Read More

This question presents a fairly common issue posed to estate planning attorneys. The solution is also pretty easy to address in your will, trust and other estate planning documents, including any guardianship appointment for your minor children. First, its important to note that you should not delay establishing an estate plan pending the birth of a new child. In fact,…Read More

Before transferring your home to your children, there are several issues that should be considered. Some are tax-related issues and some are none-tax issues that can have grave consequences on your livelihood. The first thing to keep in mind is that the current federal estate tax exemption is currently over $5 million and thus it is likely that you may…Read More