Special Needs Trusts We understand the concerns you may have when it comes to securing the financial future of your loved one with special needs. This blog provides an overview of Special Needs Trusts (SNTs) and their implications in New York State. What is a Special Needs Trust (SNT)? A Special Needs Trust is a…
Estate Planning 101 The most common misconception about estate planning is that it requires a substantial “estate.” For many, the word “estate” conjures an image of vast wealth, like that of John D. Rockefeller or Howard Hughes. However, in reality, nearly everyone leaves an estate behind when they die. It could be millions or it could be…
Why You Should Work With An Attorney On A Medicaid Application It is not required to get an attorney to apply for Medicaid. When you enter a nursing home, the facility will generally offer to do it for you—for free! So why should you actually hire and pay an elder law attorney to handle it?…
Jacobowitz and Gubits Law Firm Changes Name to J&G Law, LLP PRESS RELEASE Managing Partner: Michele L. Babcock p (845) 778-2121 x 225 e: [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 12, 2023 Walden, NY—Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP, the full-service law firm that has been serving the Hudson Valley since 1968, has changed its name…
When it Comes to Estate Planning, Put your Wishes on Paper and Leave Nothing to Chance Often, clients tell me, “I’m going to leave everything I have to my son John, and he knows to take care of the other kids.” People assure me that their families are extremely close, and there’s no question…
BEING MARRIED MAY NOT MEAN WHAT YOU THINK WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR ESTATE People frequently assume that having a spouse means that your assets will all go to him/her if you die intestate (without a will), and conversely, if you do have a will, you can leave your assets to anyone that you want….
Estate Plan Exclusions The majority of estate plans that we prepare at our law firm leave assets to clients’ children in equal shares. Some clients make wills, and others create trusts. Some seek to keep assets protected from long-term care and nursing home costs or to minimize estate taxes. But generally the objective is to…
MEDICARE VERSUS MEDICAID IN THE NURSING HOME SETTING When we talk about Medicaid asset protection, I often hear from clients “but I already have Medicare,” or “I have money, so I’ll never qualify for Medicaid.” But in the context of chronic care, there’s a lot of nuance to these issues. Here are the key differences:…
REMOTE ONLINE NOTARIZATION MAKES A PERMANENT RETURN TO NEW YORK In March 2020, remote online notarization was introduced to New York as part of an array of gubernatorial Executive Orders to reduce the need for in-person meetings during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The order permitted any documents that would require a standard in-person notary to…
WHAT NOT TO DO IN YOUR ESTATE PLAN We frequently discuss good estate planning practices in this column, but here are some things that you absolutely should not do when drafting your will or trust: Settle Scores With a limited exception for spouses, no one has the legal right to inherit from you. You…
