Can a Person Enter into a Contract to Make a Will Under New Jersey Law?
In New Jersey, drafting a Last Will is guided by statutory requirements and judicial precedent. One aspect of estate planning in New Jersey allows …
In Probate Disputes and Will Contests Only Reasonable Counsel Fees and Costs can be Ordered Charged to the Estate
I recently received a contested probate case which appealed the trial judge’s award of attorney’s fees and costs to the parties following a lengthy …
Understanding What Frivolous Litigation Means
The frivolous litigation statute, N.J.S.A. 2A:15-59.1, authorize sanctions including reasonable attorney fees, and costs, against any party to a probate lawsuit. A case is …
Can You Still Win a Probate Case When the Original Will is Lost or Destroyed? Part 2 of a 2 Part Series
Proving That the Destruction of a Will Was Not Done by the Deceased In Part 1 of this blog, I discussed how to prove …
Can You Still Win a Probate Case When the Original Will is Lost or Destroyed? Part 1 of a 2 Part Series
In the case of a lost or destroyed will, “the burden of proof is upon the proponent” to show, with clear and convincing evidence,” …
Beware of the Beneficiary Form (Part 4 of 4)
This is the fourth and final article about beneficiary designation and NJ probate and estate planning. For non-retirement assets with beneficiaries correctly titled, your …
Beware of the Beneficiary Form (Part 2 of 4)
This is the second post on the subject of beneficiary designations and their importance in New Jersey probate and estate planning. Who Can Be …
The Marital Deduction: A Valuable Federal Estate Tax Planning Tool
The federal estate tax marital deduction is one of the most important estate planning tools available to a married couple. The basic marital deduction …
What Does the Attorney-Client Privilege Mean to You?
Attorney-client privilege means that in litigation, anything you tell your attorney will be held in strict confidence and cannot be disclosed unless there is …
Understanding the Maze of What is and What is Not Allowed to Be Done With an SNT (Special Needs Trust)
Understanding how to benefit from and establish a Special Needs Trust (SNT) can be complicated and confusing. The rules governing their creation and administration and …
Forged Checks Under the Uniform Fiduciaries Law (UFL) – It’s Hard to Sue the Bank
The Uniform Fiduciaries Law (UFL) is a statute adopted in NJ to protect banks and victims of fraud. When an action is brought against …
Do You Have the Right Fiduciary for Your Estate?
Warning: Your Selection Does Matter When creating an estate plan, especially in your will and/or trust, an important decision you must make is the …
What is the NJ Elective Share Law as Relates to Your Surviving Spouse?
If a spouse dies and he or she does not leave their estate to a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse may, under NJ law, …
Why Are Some Wills 2 Pages and Others 20 – The Example of the Executor Who Didn’t Die
Very often, when I prepare wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives (living wills) for clients, some react with surprise when they see …
Choosing the Right Trustee for Your Living Trust
Your living trust is much more than just a document that says which heirs get what percentage of your estate or what items of …
What Happens If You Die Without a Will?
We all know we are supposed to do estate planning, but not all of us get around to it. So what happens if you …
Is Your Family or Personal Trust Subject to New Jersey’s Death and Inheritance Tax?
New Jersey is home to one of the largest populations of elderly residents in the entire country. Many do not have a trust or …
Understanding the Definition of Incapacity Under NJ Law
Occasionally, a client does not want a declaration of “incapacity” (as used in various planning documents and NJ case law) made by a physician. …
Understanding the Doctrine of Probable Intent When a Last Will is Unclear in its Language
N.J.S.A. 3B:3-33.1 delineates the doctrine of probable intent. The statutory focus is to implement “[t]he intention of a testator . . . .” The …
Don’t Confuse Testamentary Intent with Testamentary Capacity When Analyzing a Last Will & Testament
When contesting a Last Will, the testamentary capacity of its maker is often disputed. NJ law makes clear the differences between testamentary capacity and …
Another Dead Body Goes to Court
As I have previously written, NJ law allows individuals to make their own funeral and/or burial arrangements in a will, or designate a personal …
You Can’t Wait 8 Years After a Person’s Death and Then Decide to Sue an Estate Executor
Families often fall apart when a parent dies and the kids start dividing up the estate. Sometimes even after the estate is concluded, one …
If You Are Disinherited by Your Dead Parent’s Second Spouse, What Legal Action Can You Take?
Biological children are often disinherited by their deceased parent’s second spouse. The second spouse changes his/her Will and they leave it to their children/family …
What if I Can’t Find the Original Will?
NJ Estate and Probate laws allow for a copy of a Will to be probated under limited situations This article discusses how to probate …
Look no further in your search for hardworking, honest lawyers. You won’t be disappointed!
Contesting a Will for Undue Influence is a very complicated endeavor. Our dream team of lawyers, Fred Niemann, Christopher Hanlon, and Christopher Balioni, along …
Our dream team of lawyers went above and beyond our expectations!
Contesting a will for Undue Influence is a very complicated endeavor. Our dream team of lawyers, Fred Niemann, Christopher Hanlon, and Christopher Balioni, along …
Guardianship of Young Children in Your Last Will When You’re Foreign Born and No Family Members Live in the US
NJ has many foreign-born parents with minor children If a foreign-born parent dies can they appoint a guardian for their children from their home …
Can a Trustee of a Trust Created Under a Last Will Distribute the Trust Assets Outright to Named Beneficiaries and Then Terminate the Trust
Many people create trusts for beneficiaries in their last will(s) There are circumstances when a trustee needs or wants to terminate the trust This …
If You Have a Trust, Do You Also Need a Last Will?
If you have a living trust in place, why would a person need a will? The answer straightforward : You need a last will …
An Incapcaitated Mother’s Successor Trustee is Overwhelmed by Duties. So What Can They Do?
Here’s an unfortunate story. Mom is incapacitated. She can no longer serve as trustee of her living trust. As successor trustee, the job has …
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