Elder Law, Family Law, and Estate Planning in Hackensack, New Jersey

Do you want to make sure your will does not go through  probate  in the aftermath of your death? When a will goes through probate, the court must decide who gets what. Although this may not sound ideal, there are ways to avoid probate altogether. You must take certain steps while you are still living to ensure that you have properly handled your estate and have made important decisions on who you would like to have as beneficiaries. Add a Joint Owner to Everything You Own If you know, love, and trust someone important in your life, such as your partner or adult child, you can add that person as a joint owner to everything you own. For example, you would add this person’s name to your bank account while making him or her co-owner of anything you own, such as your home, rental properties that are in your name, and any vehicles that belong to you. When you have a joint owner and you pass away, probate is avoided because the joint owner will get to keep your belongings....

In New Jersey, a guardian is a person or agency appointed by the court to act on behalf of an individual. Establishing a guardianship is a legal process. Guardianships are sought to care for minor children upon the early death of their parents, and for people over 18 with developmental, mental, or physical disabilities. Some guardianships may even be created toward the end of a person’s life, particularly if that person suffers from cognitive difficulties, such as Alzheimer’s, and it was part of the older person’s elder care plan prior to the period of incapacitation. Whether the prompt to designate a guardian begins when a child is born, an individual is diagnosed with a chronic illness, the parent is diagnosed with a chronic illness, or as part of the establishment of an estate plan, the process for obtaining a guardianship in New Jersey is the same. Choosing a Guardian When considering appointing a guardian for your minor children or an incapacitated adult, th...

In New Jersey, a guardian is a person or agency appointed by the court to act on behalf of an individual. Establishing a guardianship is a legal process. Guardianships are sought to care for minor children upon the early death of their parents, and for people over 18 with developmental, mental, or physical disabilities. Some guardianships may even be created toward the end of a person’s life, particularly if that person suffers from cognitive difficulties, such as Alzheimer’s, and it was part of the older person’s elder care plan prior to the period of incapacitation.                                                                       Whether the prompt to designate a guardian begins when a child is born, an individual is diagnosed with a chronic illness, the parent is diagnosed with a chronic illness,...