Author Archives: Victor Medina

Making a Will

If you’re thinking about making a will, here are few things that you should think about before drafting the will (or having an attorney help you think about these things and draft the will for you): 1.  What assets will … Continue reading

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Living Trusts – A Primer

Many clients come into the office saying that they need “a living trust” – often without a good understanding of what they are and when there are used. Here is a brief primer on living trusts for the uninitiated. 1) … Continue reading

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Top Tips for Selecting an Estate Planner

Having practiced in this area for a while, here are some practical tips for selecting an estate planner. I promise that this is not a thinly-veiled way of describing my practice. Although we have many of these qualities, I believe … Continue reading

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Special Planning Considerations

Estate planning is typically divided into two categories: (1) Estates large enough to require tax planning (which in New Jersey, because of decoupling, occurs on estates with as little as $675k in assets) and (2) Estates that require little or … Continue reading

Posted in Special Needs Planning | Leave a comment

Dotting the “I”s and Crossing the “T”s in the Family

A common tool for a sophisticated estate plan is the creation of a Family Limited Partnership (FLP) or Family Limited Liability Company (FLLC). Basically, these entities allow grantors to get a discount on the assets that they contribute to the … Continue reading

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Guardianship of Children With Special Needs

Two good posts coming from Leanna Hamill in Massachusetts and Tredway, Lumsdaine & Doyle in California on planning for children with special needs.  Among the excellent suggestions are the following: Special Needs Trust – allowing parents, grandparents and guardians to … Continue reading

Posted in Disability, Guardianship, Powers of Attorney, Special Needs Planning | Leave a comment