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Using your cell phone while you drive is not only dangerous, but it can cost you quite a bit in fines and court costs if you are caught by the police.

Mediation and litigation are not mutually exclusive approaches to resolving conflict, but in mediation, a satisfactory result can be achieved much sooner, for a lot less money and with a lot less stress and emotional angst.

Can you reverse a judicial determination that a person is incapacitated? The simple answer is yes –a person who has been declared incapacitated by a court can be restored to full or partial capacity. However, the process is not easy. Let's first look at the facts and then we can consider the law.

I had a case once involving an elderly gentleman (we'll call him Harry) who had dementia and throat cancer. His medical condition was precarious and getting to the point where he was no longer able to swallow.  So we were faced with whether or not to insert a feeding tube.  Of course, without a f...

When sibling rivalry can come back and hurt us in terms of how we are cared for in the future. That's why it is important to select which child you want in charge of managing your affairs and making medical decisions for you when and if you are unable to do so on your own.

It is a good idea to get a firm understanding of what it will cost to sell your home before you put your home on the market. This Blog gives you a general list of the various costs and cash outlays that are associated with selling your home.

Yesterday I left court with mixed emotions.  I was happy that I was successful in obtaining guardianship in favor of my two clients (a brother and sister), but at the same time saddened by the fact that they had to file guardianship for both their parents. 

I am convinced that the number one reason most young parents don't execute Wills is because they cannot agree on who should be the guardian for the minor child or children. I know this because when I meet with young parents to go over their estate plans, the discussion flows smoothly, until the d...

New Jersey has two types of taxes that can be assessed against an estate. One is the "Estate Tax" and the other is the "Inheritance Tax." Starting ion 2018, New Jersey no longer has an "Estate Tax" but there is still the Federal Estate and Gift Tax on estates exceeding $11,200,000 that needs to be considered, though the vast majority of us have estates well below this amount. The New Jersey "Inheritance Tax" is assessed based on the relationship between the testator and the beneficiary regardless of the overall size of the estate. Spouses, children and grandchildren are exempt, but other more distant relatives and friends are taxed at between 11% and 16%.

Dying without a will means your estate will be distributed in a way you may not want. It also leaves to others to decide who will take care of your children and who will oversee their money. The best way to avoid this is to have a will drawn up for you! We can help you at a very reasonable cost through our on-line legal services platform!

If you read the first four blogs of this series, you know how much I encourage everyone to make sure they do some basic estate planning.  This includes preparing a Will as well as a Durable Power of Attorney and Living Will.  These may not seem like important documents to you now since you may be...

Anyone who has applied for a government program knows how frustrating that process can be.  But applying for Medicaid – forget it.  I would rather go through a root canal! Medicaid is a form of welfare Medicaid is a federal social welfare program that is administered by the states that pays for...

The fear of having to go into a nursing home scares the bejeebers out of people – and it should!  First of all, no one aspires to want to live out the remainder of their years in a nursing home.  Second, the cost can be crippling.  The average cost for a nursing home today is about $10,000 per mo...

In our first post, Mrs. Smith learned of and finally came to terms with her husband's diagnoses of dementia, probably Alzheimer's disease.  Alzheimer's is not an easy diagnosis while a person is alive, but experienced doctors can make a fairly accurate diagnosis through eliminating other causes o...

Mrs. Smith: So doctor, is my husband going to be okay? Doctor: Well, in the short term I think he will be fine, but as you know his memory is a bit off and that concerns me. Mrs. Smith: Yes, that's true but I attribute that to old age – he's 81 you know – not a spring rooster anymore! Doctor: ...

I recently heard a story about a wise old man, a young boy and little bird that I thought was very insightful.  Since it was my first encounter with the story, I did what comes natural these days and Googled the title to see if the story has been told before or whether this was an original piece. ...

As a practicing lawyer for over 25 years, it is fair to say I have seen life from many different vantage points.  In fact, it is the thing I love most about being a lawyer – I get to know and understand a client's problem or challenge from the client's perspective and see the world through their ...

You could see the anguish in his eyes.  I just met this fellow (not a client) but it was apparent he was struggling to keep it together.  “What's wrong my friend” I asked?  “Oh, it's a personal thing I am dealing with,” he replied.  “I need to see my attorney this afternoon and sign some papers. ...

When asked – what day it is? Sam froze like a deer in headlights.  At age 89 he thought he was doing just fine and was able to answer the first few questions okay, but that “day” question – boy that was a doozy.  He couldn't quite get the month and year right and he was a few Presidents behind, b...