365 Route 59, Suite 231 ~ Airmont, New York 10952
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Use It Before It’s Gone

April 20, 2021 by Steve Hartnett The current estate tax exemption is $11.7 million. This is a record high. The “permanent” exclusion is $5 million and is adjusted for inflation from a 2011 base year. Then the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act temporarily doubled it. At the end of 2025, the doubling…

Rockland Resident Victim Of Grandparent Scam: Ramapo Police

Plus there’s a new twist. Tell the senior citizens of your acquaintance to beware. Lanning Taliaferro, Patch StaffPosted Mon, Apr 19, 2021 at 2:44 pm ET RAMAPO, NY — A Ramapo resident was recently the victim of the now-classic grandparent scam, police said. The con artist took a significant amount from a senior…

How an Irrevocable Trust Is Superior to Gifting

If you would like to pass on your assets during your lifetime, you may want to consider an Irrevocable Trust. While simply giving something now to someone you love sounds best, an Irrevocable Trust has proven to be a better way to preserve those assets for the future.  Trust Me…

IRS Announces That Face Masks and Related Purchases Are Tax Deductible

The IRS has announced that the tax deduction for medical expenses includes amounts spent on face masks, sanitizer and other products purchased to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.  If you have significant medical expenses, you may be able to deduct them from your taxes. Many types of medical expenses are…

How to Dispose of “Stuff”

March 9, 2021 by Steve Hartnett  Even wealthy clients are often most concerned about the possessions which they have around them. They may have financial accounts with lots of zeros, yet they are most concerned about the things which they have collected or been given over the years. At first glance, this…

How to Use Estate Planning to Prepare for Medicaid

Long-term care involves not only a loss of personal autonomy; it also comes at a tremendous financial price. Proper planning can help your family prepare for the financial toll and protect assets for future generations.  Long-term care can be very expensive, especially around-the-clock nursing home care. Most people end up…

Beneficiary Designations and the SECURE Act Basics

February 9, 2021 by Steve Hartnett  Clients spend lots of time, money, and energy planning their estates. Estate Planning attorneys help them by counseling these clients and preparing various documents to meet the goals of the client, such as a Will or Trust. An increasing part of American wealth is governed by…

You can do this.

I’m the first point of contact at Haas & Zaltz, LLP. This means that when you call in, I’m usually the first one you’ll meet. I welcome your questions, then ask mine, and convey our client process, tailored to your specific needs. I’m not a lawyer (although I play one…

UPDATE: Major Changes to Community Medicaid Coming Soon

In the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature quietly made significant changes to New York’s Medicaid rules, making it harder for New Yorkers to obtain Medicaid benefits for long-term care. Community Medicaid, the program which provides care for clients at home, represents the…

Preparing for the Unexpected…and the Eventual

If you were asked to sum up this past year in one word, what would it be? I know my choice: Uncertainty. COVID-19 delivered a whirlwind of unpredictability that we are still desperate to manage. With so many facing death and economic hardship, our need for control first expressed itself…