When a loved one dies, administrative details are usually the furthest thing from your mind. But, there is a lot to be done, from planning a funeral to making important notifications. Some of these tasks will typically be carried out…

When you prepare a will in New Jersey, you’ll choose a personal representative to handle administration of your estate. You will typically also choose a successor, in case the personal representative you chose is unable or unwilling to fulfill the…

Just as we create estate plans for our eventual demise, we also need to plan ahead for the possibility that we will become sick and unable to make our own medical decisions. Medical science has created many miracles, among them…

Estate planning for mixed families is a bit more complicated, and requires specific consideration of the treatment of stepchildren and the path assets will follow after the death of one spouse. When one or both spouses has children with someone…

Often, people think about asset protection simply as a way to minimize risk during their lifetimes, separating risk management from estate planning. However, asset protection for beneficiaries can play a significant role in estate planning—especially when there are concerns about…

When you start thinking about protecting your loved ones with an estate plan, the terminology you encounter may be confusing. Maybe you’re thinking about creating a will, but then you see mention of self-proving wills (which are just ordinary wills…

In 2016, the New Jersey legislature repealed the state’s estate tax, but phased in the change. For those who passed away during calendar year 2017, there was a significant bump in the exemption. Prior to 2017, New Jersey estate tax…

The widowed, childless millionaire leaving his entire estate to a Pekingese and the wealthy woman disinheriting her children in favor of a Persian cat are largely the stuff of fiction. On the rare occasion that someone actually leaves a fortune…

According to Pew Research Center, there are currently about 9 million unmarried couples living together in the United States. That number more than doubled between 1990 and 2010, and continues to grow. About half of those living with an unmarried…

Whether your spouse has just passed away or you have lost your mom or dad, the emotional trauma of losing a loved one often comes with a bewildering array of financial and legal issues demanding attention. It can be difficult enough for…