Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trusts: What You Need to Know Before Choosing the Right Option

Revocable vs. Irrevocable Trusts: What You Need to Know Before Choosing the Right Option

When planning your estate in New York, one of the most critical decisions you’ll face is choosing between a revocable trust and an irrevocable trust. Both serve as valuable tools for managing and distributing assets, but they differ significantly in their structure, flexibility, tax implications, and legal protections.

Paper with words Irrevocable Trust vs Revocable Trust

Trust Disputes: Legal Options for Resolving Conflicts Among Beneficiaries

Trust Disputes: Legal Options for Resolving Conflicts Among Beneficiaries

Trusts are often established to prevent conflict, protect privacy, and provide a smooth transfer of assets to loved ones. However, despite careful planning, trust disputes can and do arise, particularly when emotions run high, assets are significant, or instructions appear vague or unfair.

Couple consulting with a lawyer on estate planning

The Role of an Executor: Responsibilities and Duties During Probate Administration

The Role of an Executor: Responsibilities and Duties During Probate Administration

Handling someone's estate after they pass can involve several formal responsibilities. In New York, the person named to carry out the instructions in a will is known as the executor. This role carries legal authority and significant obligations throughout the probate process.

Senior women prepare estate plan with the help of professional

Business Succession Planning: How to Ensure Your Business Thrives After You’re Gone

Business Succession Planning: How to Ensure Your Business Thrives After You’re Gone

One of the most pressing yet often overlooked aspects of long-term business health is succession planning. If you own a business, you’ve likely poured your time, passion, and hard work into making it successful. But have you thought about what happens to your business when you're no longer around to run it?

Business Succession Plan written in sticky note

Contesting a Will: Grounds for Challenging a Will and How to Navigate the Legal Process

Contesting a Will: Grounds for Challenging a Will and How to Navigate the Legal Process

In the New York City metro area, estate planning is a critical step in safeguarding your legacy. However, disputes can arise, leading to will contests that challenge the validity of a decedent's last wishes. Understanding the legal grounds for such challenges and the processes involved is essential.

Last will with gavel and notary stamp

Trust & Estate Litigation: Common Disputes in Trusts and How to Handle Them

Trust & Estate Litigation: Common Disputes in Trusts and How to Handle Them

Trusts are often created as part of estate planning to protect assets and provide for loved ones after a person's death. While these legal tools can help manage and distribute wealth efficiently, they can also be a source of conflict among family members or beneficiaries.

Siblings arguing outdoors

Probate & Estate Administration: Key Steps in Administering an Estate After a Loved One's Death

Probate & Estate Administration: Key Steps in Administering an Estate After a Loved One's Death

At Goldstein Mauer PLLC of New York, we understand that the loss of a loved one is a deeply emotional experience, and dealing with the legal and financial aspects that follow can be overwhelming.

Wooden stand with gavel and text PROBATE LAW on the background of books

Trust Litigation: What to Do If a Dispute Arises

Trust Litigation: What to Do If a Dispute Arises

Trusts serve as a crucial component of estate planning, allowing individuals to manage and distribute their assets efficiently. However, disputes can arise for a variety of reasons, including allegations of mismanagement, disagreements among beneficiaries, or issues regarding the trust's validity.

Family arguing at table

The Role of a Trustee: Responsibilities and Duties Explained

The Role of a Trustee: Responsibilities and Duties Explained

When individuals think about estate planning, one of the most critical decisions they face is appointing a trustee. This person or institution assumes a significant responsibility—managing and distributing assets within a trust in accordance with the wishes outlined in the trust document.

Trustee word represented by wooden letter tiles on table

The Benefits of Setting Up a Revocable Living Trust

The Benefits of Setting Up a Revocable Living Trust

A revocable living trust is a flexible tool that allows you to retain control over your assets during your lifetime while providing clear instructions for distribution after your death. This type of trust can be especially valuable in estate planning, offering numerous benefits to you and your family.

Gavel and paper with words Revocable Living Trusts