Download Transcript Michael: Hello, welcome to another episode of five minutes with Michael Fried, a litigation partner in the family law firm of Berkman Bottger Newman & Schein LLP, with offices in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island.…
A senior’s perspective on the estate planning process When I saw my doctor for a recent routine physical and she asked if I had a Healthcare Proxy, boy, was that ever a wake-up call! I consider myself a “young 70,”…
Families encounter many professionals after a loved one’s passing. Religious leaders, funeral home directors, and probate lawyers often form a new cast of characters, while the familiar medical team steps back. Who can help you find this new team of…
"I inherited my childhood home." There’s a whirlwind of intense, complex emotions within those five words. For some people, their childhood home evokes mostly happy memories, but now also grief and loss. For others, those earlier happy memories are eclipsed…
What’s the greatest gift you can leave your family? You may think – an inheritance, of course. But what kind of inheritance? Sure, money’s welcome. But a lifetime’s belongings in an overflowing garage? Not so much. Yet often, relatives who…
Executors and administrators of estates are often called upon to deal with challenging legal and financial logistics during their time of grief. If my clients have served as estate representatives before, the legal and financial work involved is more familiar.…
It’s a new year – a good time to focus on the forest through the trees and answer my most frequently asked question. It’s also a time to remember and reexamine our highest callings, so I devoted some serious time…
Year after year, despite the burdensome preparations for hosts and crowded schedules of guests, families across the world come together to celebrate the holidays. Yet for many, attending or hosting a family gathering can feel like navigating a minefield. Families…
I once discussed helping clients open up about sensitive family dynamics and personal finances with another estate planning attorney. He said, “What’s the problem? Everything’s confidential.” He was both right – and wrong. A client’s communications with his or her…
Losing a loved one is an emotional and life-changing experience. You might be tasked with the responsibility of settling the estate while also grieving your loss. It can be a challenging time in anyone's life. However, it becomes even more…
