Including pets in estate planning is not something we Americans take all that seriously, even if we love our pets. And while the consequences of this oversight may not be that drastic in the big picture, there are times when we can see the effects a little more...
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Ridgewood Estate Planning Blog
Some issues to consider with respect to special needs planning
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Nov 9, 2012 | Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning / Nursing Home Planning, Trusts
Caring for a child with special needs is something that is close to the heart of a good number of Americans. This is a particularly important issue dealt with in estate planning. Many parents facing this issue aren't sure where to begin, though. While there are...
Continuing probate battle continues to delay repose of actor’s body
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Nov 8, 2012 | Probate
Three months after his death on July 24, the body of actor Sherman Hemsley has still to be buried. Months of legal dispute over Hemsley's will have put the actor's estate in limbo. As we've written previously, a man by the name of Richard Thornton-Hemsley's former...
Discretionary trusts: useful for protecting vulnerable beneficiary’s inheritance
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Nov 3, 2012 | Estate Planning, Trusts
Our New Jersey readers may have heard of the troubles regarding Whitney Houston's estate, particularly with respect to her daughter Bobbi Kristina. Houston left a total of $20 million in trust to her now 19-year-old daughter, and this has been a source of contention...
Ways to avoid probate in estate planning, P.2
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Nov 2, 2012 | Trusts
In our last post, we began speaking about specific ways to keep your estate out of probate. Probate, depending on the state one is in, can be a time-consuming process and expose one's family affairs to legal battles open to the public eye.Some prefer to avoid such...
Ways to avoid probate in estate planning, P.1
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 26, 2012 | Estate Planning, Probate
Because probate can be an expensive and time-consuming process, one of the goals of estate planning may be finding ways to keep one's estate out of the probate process. Probate, as our New Jersey readers may know, is a court supervised legal proceeding in which a will...
Consulting attorney for Medicaid application a wise decision
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 24, 2012 | Medicaid Planning / Nursing Home Planning
We recently wrote about the importance of including nursing home planning within estate planning. For many people, this will include Medicaid planning.It is important to realize that Medicaid, because it is administered by states, can have a unique approach depending...
Estate Planning Awareness Week encourages thought about life goals and values
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 18, 2012 | Estate Planning
Our readers may or may not be aware, but October 15 through October 22 is Estate Planning Awareness week. Admittedly, estate planning awareness is something lawyers like because it highlights the services they can offer. But the reality is that everyone can benefit...
End of life conversations: the other half of end of life planning
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 16, 2012 | Estate Planning
End of life issues are very personal and can be difficult decisions for families to make on a number of levels. Because these issues are so serious, it is important to address them as part of one's estate planning, and well ahead of time. One good reason for this is...
Nursing home planning can preserve estate assets
On Behalf of The Manna Helmy Law Group | Oct 12, 2012 | Medicaid Planning / Nursing Home Planning
With the rising costs of nursing homes and long-term care, it is critical that everybody engaging in estate planning look at how they plan to fund their own care. The reality is that the average cost for care is around $73,000 per year and is on the increase. It...