Last will and testaments hold significant importance in New York. They serve as crucial legal documents that outline individuals’s final wishes and instructions regarding the distribution of assets and the care of dependents upon death. Without a valid will, the state’s intestacy laws may dictate asset distribution, which may not align with the deceased’s desires. A will enables individuals...
Continue ReadingA healthcare proxy and a power of attorney (POA) are two legal documents that grant individuals the authority to make crucial decisions on behalf of someone else. While they share some similarities, they serve distinct purposes within personal and medical decision-making. It’s essential to recognize the differences between a healthcare proxy vs. power of attorney and use them appropriately....
Continue ReadingThe anticipated 30-month Medicaid lookback period for New York community-based long-term care (CBLTC) services is now delayed until at least 2025. This postponement provides additional time for individuals to prepare for future changes. Presently, there is no lookback or transfer penalty for Medicaid applications covering managed long-term care (MLTC), home care services, or the Assisted Living Program (ALP). The...
Continue ReadingYour right to decide what happens to your body in a health crisis is paramount. Sometimes, a health crisis can incapacitate you and render you unable to tell healthcare providers what treatments you want them to administer. This is why advanced directives exist. What is an advanced directive? It is a legal document that obligates a healthcare provider to...
Continue ReadingIn New York, advance care directives, including living wills and health care proxies, are legal documents that allow competent adults to specify their preferences and wishes regarding medical treatments or appoint someone to make healthcare decisions on their behalf if they cannot communicate their wishes. Although New York recognizes living wills, no statutory framework governs the validity of these...
Continue ReadingThere is a lot of misinformation about what happens if you don’t have a will when you die. Contrary to popular belief, your property rarely passes to the state if you die without a will. Instead, it is distributed to your legal heirs according to the state’s intestacy laws. Heirs include relatives by blood or by marriage. Although intestacy...
Continue ReadingWhen a person dies, their assets must be distributed. The distribution process varies based on whether the person had a valid will and the size of their estate. If the person who died, legally known as the decedent, had a will, an executor is responsible for administering the estate. If the decedent died without a will or their estate...
Continue ReadingMany fiduciaries have a significant amount of power and control over their clients’ financial lives. When a fiduciary breaches their duties, it can have severe economic and personal consequences for the victims. If you are the victim of a breach of fiduciary duties, you probably want to hold the perpetrator accountable and recover compensation for the damage they have...
Continue ReadingWhen a loved one dies intestate (without a will), the procedures surrounding the distribution of their estate can be opaque and confusing. In New York, intestate succession laws govern how the estate must be distributed, and the Surrogate Court’s procedural laws dictate who may serve as administrator of a decedent’s estate. These laws are relatively rigid and can leave...
Continue ReadingNew York Law imposes a heightened standard of care on people who occupy specific positions of trust and responsibility. These legal requirements are known as fiduciary duties. Fiduciary duties are legally enforceable and help hold professionals to a high standard. Due to the harm violating a professional relationship can cause, victims can file suit if someone breaches a fiduciary...
Continue ReadingPlanning for the worst is challenging. Most of us would rather put off having conversations about what to do if we are incapacitated or how we wish to be cared for at the end of our lives. Preparing for these scenarios is so difficult one study estimates only one in three Americans ever completes an advance directive. But formulating...
Continue ReadingElder law lawyers provide a range of valuable services that older individuals tend to need. Scheduling a meeting with an attorney can be the first step towards setting yourself and your family up for a successful future. When arranging an appointment, you may wonder, What questions should I ask an elder law attorney? Preparing the right questions can help...
Continue ReadingLife Estate vs Trust Updated October 2025 A life estate lets someone use property for life, with ownership passing to a beneficiary after death. A trust, managed by a trustee, controls assets for beneficiaries and offers more flexibility, tax benefits, and avoids probate. Preserving our assets for future generations can be a difficult task. There is a large array...
Continue ReadingAt the Law Office of Andrew M. Lamkin, P.C., we understand how damaging a breach of trust can be. In the contexts of estate planning, estate administration, and residential real estate, professional relationships are often built on a foundation of trust and accountability. Thankfully, the law imposes specific standards on many professionals who work in these industries. These standards,...
Continue ReadingHave you recently been appointed the executor, trustee, or administrator of an estate? If so, you may have been presented with the term “fiduciary duty.” And you may wonder, What is a breach of fiduciary duty? It is understandable that this term is unfamiliar to you if you have never been appointed to manage an estate before. Therefore, we...
Continue ReadingEstate planning is critical for everyone, whether you’re married, single, straight, or LGBTQ. Marriage equality became the law of the land in 2015, with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. However, because of historical and ongoing discrimination, those in the LGBTQ community who are aging often rely on partners or caregivers with whom they have no...
Continue ReadingTransferring property after someone dies can be challenging. When a person dies in New York, their entire estate must be dispersed according to the instructions in their will, living trust, or intestacy laws. If the deceased person, also called the decedent, didn’t leave a will, or set up a trust, then the probate court must determine who receives any...
Continue ReadingWhile many people know the value of estate planning, only one in three Americans has a will. For most people, the number one reason for not having an estate plan is that they simply haven’t gotten around to it yet. Neglecting to plan for the future can have unexpected and undesirable consequences for your family. An estate plan can...
Continue ReadingIn New York, a handwritten will, also known as a holographic will, is generally not considered valid unless it meets specific criteria. According to New York law, a will must be in writing, signed by the testator (the person making the will), and witnessed by at least two credible witnesses who are not beneficiaries. However, holographic wills are only...
Continue ReadingThe probate process begins when a person dies, and the family delivers the person’s will to the probate court. The probate court appoints a personal representative who manages the estate. That person is legally responsible to the family and other interested parties for how they handle the estate. Once the personal representative distributes the estate assets, the probate process...
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