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

Divorces are often a challenge for all couples, but things can get even trickier for high net worth couples . The reason these cases are often tricky is that one or both individuals that were married are bringing in large sums of money. There may be special considerations that would need to be reviewed, including any prenuptial agreements that were created and signed before both parties exchanged vows and got married. Reviewing the Prenuptial Agreement Most people with a high net worth will have a prenuptial agreement drawn up before they get married. The purpose of the agreement is to protect their finances and assets in the event of a divorce. Before figuring out who gets what after the divorce, the prenuptial agreement must be carefully examined by the attorneys for both parties. Certain things may have been agreed upon in advance, including alimony support payments that one person will receive from the other person after the divorce. The ownership of different assets may ...

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....

A special needs trust is an important legal item that parents of special needs children should look into with the help of a family law attorney in New Jersey. At the same time, if you have an adult child or an elderly parent who has special needs, you should also look into the benefits of this type of trust. A special needs trust can help provide for your loved one without removing his or her eligibility for government benefits. How? The trust owns the assets, not the person for whom it was created. This means that the beneficiary of the trust is still eligible for Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).                                                                            Provide Assets for a Family Member Upon Your Death One of the most important reasons why you should cr...

Living as a co-parent in a child custody arrangement is not easy for everyone. Even if you are able to communicate well with the other parent, the situation can still be challenging to navigate. As a co-parent, the most difficult time of the year is often when school resumes. Why? Having a child go back to school is not only stressful on you, but on the child, as well. Below, you will find some tips for preparing for the new school year as a co-parent so it goes off without a hitch. Get Everyone on the Same Page The most important thing you can do in preparing for a new school year is to get everyone on the same page, including the other parent. Everyone should have the schedule from the school for the year so that there are no questions about the first day or when the child has days off from school. Arguments are more likely to occur when the parents are not on the same page. It does not mean that the two of you need to be cordial or have a good relationship. You must simpl...

Veteran Aid is provided by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and is offered to service members. Many of these service members spent decades fighting for the country. All veterans have earned the right to the aid that is offered to them, but many are not aware of the types of benefits they can receive and are entitled to. Unfortunately, because there is a lack of understanding about these benefits that are available, there are many veterans who are not collecting these benefits and reaping the advantages that are associated with them. An estate attorney can help a veteran with applying for and eventually receiving Veteran Aid. Assisting with the Application Process Some veterans have a difficult time with the application process. They might not know what types of information is needed to help them receive the benefits they have earned because of their willingness to fight for the country. Applying for the aid that is available is something that vete...

Are you currently supposed to receive child support from the other parent of your child? The support could help lessen the financial burden on you. The cost of raising a child is certainly not cheap. You may foot the bill for nearly everything, including the cost of groceries, school supplies, diapers, and all kinds of necessities. If you are not currently receiving the support that has been requested of you from the other parent of your child, you need to know some important tips that could help with the process of enforcing child support in New Jersey . Request to Have Income Withheld If you know your former partner is working but he or she is still not paying the child support to you to help cover some child-related expenses, you could request to have his or her income withheld. The way that this works is that you can hire an attorney to file a petition to the court to have the amount of money deducted from this individual’s paychecks. Rather than waiting for th...

Coming to the realization that things are not working out in your marriage can be overwhelming. If you have already tried counseling and support groups, you are likely ready to file for divorce. There is no reason to remain in a failed marriage, even if you have children. Sometimes, remaining in a toxic relationship just for the kids can wind up causing more harm than good. As you prepare to file for divorce, it is important to understand how debt is divided in a New Jersey divorce .                                                                             What the Court Must Determine Before any debt can be divided between the two spouses in a New Jersey divorce, the court must determine the following in relation to the debt: ? Confirming that the debt actually exists using documentation ?...