As an estate and trust attorney who has been practicing for over 20 years, I never lose sight of the difficulty we all face when losing a loved one. Often when I meet a client, sometimes for the very first time, the initial words out of my mouth are “I am so very truly sorry
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Considerations in Estate Planning for Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other Crypto-Currencies
By Michael J. Kearney & Joseph B. Doll on
While success in crypto-currency investing is far from assured, death, sadly, is. Accordingly, it is vital that investors in Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies are prepared for the unique estate planning factors that apply to digital assets. The following are five estate planning factors that should be addressed immediately by crypto-currency investors to ensure that their…
Including A “No-Contest” Clause In Your Will May Prevent A Battle Over Your Estate
By Christopher P. Massaro on
Posted in Estate Planning
You can generally use your Will to distribute assets as you see fit, but the possibility of a Will contest looms whenever you make an uneven or unexpected distribution. For example, you may wish to favor one child over another or provide a large bequest to a charity using assets that your spouse or children…
Gudie Illustrates the Risks Faced by Fiduciaries
By Steven M. Saraisky on
Posted in Estate Tax, Legislation
One of the most basic reasons to have a Will is to name an executor. The executor gathers and manages assets, administers the estate, pays bills, pays taxes, and ultimately distributes the estate assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries. The “paying taxes” part of the job can be difficult. People don’t like to pay taxes. Also,…
New Jersey Appellate Court Disallows Judge’s Attempt to Create Special Needs Trusts
By Mary Browning on
Posted in Special Needs Trusts
A recent New Jersey Appellate Court opinion further confirms the importance of having a Will – especially when a special needs person is involved. The court overturned a state court judge who tried to use the “doctrine of probable intent” to create special needs trusts for a decedent’s daughters even though the decedent did not…