While a 2024 poll indicated New Yorkers’ overwhelming support for New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act for terminally ill people (M.A.I.D), the act had not been approved by the legislature each time it had been presented,...more
8/6/2025
/ Advance Directives ,
Civil Liberties ,
End-of-Life-Care ,
Health Care Proxies ,
Hospice ,
New Legislation ,
New York ,
Patient Rights ,
Physician-Assisted Suicide ,
Physicians ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State Legislatures
While we may know better, an 18-year-old is generally considered an adult under New York law. Many of those 18-year-olds will be heading off to college in the next couple of months. Parents’ rights to make decisions for their...more
7/1/2025
/ Adult Children ,
Beneficiaries ,
Estate Planning ,
Health Care Proxies ,
Incapacitated Persons ,
Inheritance ,
New York ,
Power of Attorney ,
Tax Planning ,
Trusts ,
Wills
May is mental health month, the perfect time to address this important topic. Mental health and substance abuse disorders affect many families. These issues need to be considered in estate planning.
Mental health and...more
Sometimes, the terms of an irrevocable trust (one that cannot be amended or revoked) were appropriate at the time the trust was created, but subsequent events or circumstances make the terms of the old trust impractical,...more
Giving assets away during lifetime to reduce estate taxes due upon your death is not the “no-brainer” it used to be. Sometimes, holding onto assets until your death lowers total taxes. Income tax, gift tax and estate tax...more
New York has an “estate tax cliff,” which can result in heirs paying New York estate tax at a rate exceeding 100%. The current per-person NYS estate tax exemption is $6.94 million, which is the amount you can leave to your...more
New York has an “estate tax cliff,” which can result in heirs paying New York estate tax at a rate exceeding 100%. The current per-person NYS estate tax exemption is $6.11 million, which is the amount you can leave to your...more