This post is reprinted from my latest newsletter. I hope you don't mind the retreading of the same subject, but the message was important enough to share on multiple platforms. Enjoy. A good part of my practice is dedicated to helping families with young children complete their essential legal planning. Some of that planning has[...]
One of the black letter laws in the world of probate is that real property, that is land, homes, etc., must be probated in the state where they are. That means that if you own a primary home in New Jersey and a summer home or a second home in Florida or New York, you'll[...]
Many clients finish planning their estate with me and then ask me what they should tell and to whom. As you might expect, the answer depends on where the client is in life and on the specific life circumstances for which we've planned. Families With Minor Children For families with minor children, I urge parents[...]
Will? Living Trust? - Neither! When people learn that I am an estate planning attorney, I usually get asked this question: "Should I have a will or a living trust?" Then, conversation usually turns to what the prospective client heard could or would happen with one or the other. It's as if I'm a surgeon[...]
Finally - FINALLY - we get a report of a celebrity who has passed away with some proper estate planning in place. Read this, and then come back. I apologize that the link is coming from TMZ (a bit exploitive), but it's worth it to show what happens with proper planning. Rather than hear a[...]
The Solo Practice University just announced their newest member of the faculty and it turns out....it's me! Yup, here's the substantive copy: Victor Medina is the managing partner of a small law firm run entirely on Mac computers and Apple products. He will teach a course entitled “Macs In the Law Office” at Solo Practice[...]
I was recently featured in an article about blogging and got the opportunity to discuss this blog. You can read the story here at the Princeton Business Journal. Posted by Victor J. Medina - Medina, Martinez & Castroll, LLC[...]
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 you be putting in the will? Take an inventory of your significant assets. These should[...]
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) What is a living trust? Well, breaking it down, a trust is simply an arrangement[...]
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 that these tips have universal value. 1. Select an attorney who is an excellent listener.[...]