Protect & Safeguard your Assets and Possessions
During your lifetime and for your Loved ones after you’ve passed-on
Estate Planning Packages, Wills, Irrevocable Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Probate Help, Medicaid & Special Needs Planning, and so much more.
Effective Estate Planning looks at all of the issues, from protection against creditors to disability and death, to Medicaid and nursing home care, and beyond. We
design your estate plan to accomplish your unique needs, goals, and future wishes. We customize individual types of protections for you and your family, so that you can protect yourself, your spouse, your children, and your assets through the use of trusts, wills and other legal documents. Some of these include creating documents regarding health care proxies, powers of attorney, living wills, advanced directives, and much more.
Last Will & Testament
Starting the with Basics
A Will is the foundational backbone of every plan; it's not the entire "body," but it is the "spine." It names your executor, appoints permanent guardians for minor children, and directs where property goes. Even families with trusts, like a Revocable Living Trust, still need a pour‑over Will to catch anything left outside the trust and to nominate guardians.
Do‑it‑yourself (DIY) templates often miss New Jersey specifics and can conflict with beneficiary forms on retirement accounts or life insurance. We draft your Will in plain English and then make sure deeds, titles, and designations align so loved ones aren’t routed into court fights.
Even basic estate planning, such as through a Last Will and Testament is a necessary and valuable tool for every person, regardless of income, socioeconomic status, or net worth. In the absence of a Will, your family might wait months or up to a year to inherit your assets, and such situations often set up feuds and mistrust within families. In the absence of a Will, it's almost guaranteed that a family will face major disagreements and contentions by other family members, possibly including relatives you've not seen in years who've come to "collect" what they believe is rightfully theirs. These types of situations are not only heartbreaking and painful, but can also lead to years of costly litigation.
Having a signed and notarized Will carefully crafted by experienced attorneys enables you to protect your loved ones from the moment you pass, enabling your family to fall back on stability and certainty rather than confusion and frustration. The headaches and difficulties your family would face without a Will are all but erased in the presence of a meticulously-executed Will.
While there are options available online to purchase Will "templates" for a reduced cost, we strongly suggest you have a Will created for you specifically, as opposed to a Will generated through a website template. While a basic Will might provide a benefit over no Will at all, a Will generated from the Internet might not cover all your bases or tie up all loose ends, and there's no one by your side to look over it for you or answer any questions. Your life certainly isn't a generic one-size-fits-all lifestyle so neither should your Will and estate plan.
Compared to these web-based templates, our costs are somewhat more expensive; however, you'll find our rates are highly competitive. Again, a Will is more likely to properly safeguard your assets when tailored to you specifically by an Attorney you can communicate your concerns and needs with rather than generic software or an inexperienced lawyer who, while skilled in other areas, lacks the necessary tools and knowledge needed to safeguard your family. If you leave your legacy to a boilerplate form or inexperienced counsel, your Will may not be properly executed, and your wishes and desires can become 'null and void.'
Depending on your situation, on top of a Will, Living Will, Advance Directive, etc., (the bare minimum and absolute most basic forms of estate planning) you can also benefit from having other safeguards added including various types of Trusts.
If you're unfamiliar with Trusts, think you don't need one, or aren't sure if you can afford one, we can help guide you!
Foundational Concepts
A Will is the first step in protecting your most important assets and your family. It is your wishes put on paper. You decide what legacy you leave behind. Without one, the courts, not you, decide what happens to your assets. They can even decide what happens to your children.
A Will should be reviewed every five years for any potential changes within your family or financial situation.
Appointing an Executor
An Executor is someone named in a Will or appointed by the Court who is given the legal responsibility to take care of distributing the assets of the estate. This person should be an individual you trust to carry out your wishes. The Executor is named in a Will and appointed by the New Jersey Surrogate’s Court to carry out the decedent’s wishes and settle the estate. In practical terms, the executor is a fiduciary project manager: they file the Will and obtain Letters Testamentary, secure property, gather and value assets, keep insurance in force, handle the mail and records, and open an estate bank account. They must notify and deal with creditors, pay valid debts, taxes, and last expenses, manage or sell property as needed, and then provide an accounting to beneficiaries before distributing inheritances exactly as the Will directs—all while acting prudently, transparently, and in the beneficiaries’ best interests.
In New Jersey, if there is no Will the court appoints an Administrator with similar duties.
Living Will
A Living Will (Advanced Directive) is a document you sign when you are healthy and have all your faculties. This document advises what measures, if any, you would like to be taken to prolong your life for your family and medical care professionals when you can no longer speak for yourself if you become terminally ill or incapacitated. It is recommended that each individual has a Living Will so that your family knows and understands your wishes. We recommend naming at least one backup agent in case your first agent can no longer serve. It should be understood a Living Will is not a health care power of attorney which would give an agent the power to make all medical decisions and access to medical information.
Power of Attorney
A Power of Attorney (POA) or Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) is a document that authorizes someone else (the agent) to act on your (the principal) behalf should you not be able to do so. The agent can have broad legal authority or limited authority to make legal decisions about the principal's property and finances. The POA is frequently used in the event of a principal's illness or disability, or when the principal can't be present to sign necessary legal documents or complete financial transactions. Health care and financial powers of attorney can make life easier for you and your family.
Trusts
A trust is a fiduciary arrangement that allows a third party, or trustee, to hold assets on behalf of a beneficiary or beneficiaries. Trusts can be arranged in many ways and can specify exactly how and when the assets pass to the beneficiaries. Since trusts usually avoid probate, your beneficiaries may gain access to these assets more quickly than assets that are transferred using a Will. Additionally, if it is an irrevocable trust, it may not be considered part of the taxable estate, so fewer taxes may be due upon your death. Assets in a trust may also be able to pass outside of probate, saving time, court fees, and potentially reducing estate taxes as well.
A Revocable Trust Also known as a living trust, a revocable trust can help assets pass outside of probate, yet allows you to retain control of the assets during your (the grantor’s) lifetime. It is flexible and can be dissolved at any time, should your circumstances or intentions change. A revocable trust typically becomes irrevocable upon the death of the grantor. You can name yourself trustee (or co-trustee) and retain ownership and control over the trust, its terms and assets during your lifetime, but make provisions for a successor trustee to manage them in the event of your incapacity or death. It also means that during your lifetime, it is treated like any other asset you own.
An Irrevocable Trust typically transfers your assets out of your (the grantor’s) estate and possibly out of the reach of estate taxes and probate, but cannot be changed by the grantor after it has been executed. Therefore, once you create the trust, you will lose control over the assets and you cannot change any terms or decide to dissolve the trust.
An irrevocable trust is commonly preferred over a revocable trust if your ultimate aim is to reduce the amount subject to estate taxes by effectively removing the trust assets from your estate. Also, since the assets have been transferred to the trust, you are relieved of the tax liability on the income generated by the trust assets (although distributions will typically have income tax). It may also be protected in the event of a legal judgment against you.
Probating a Will
If a loved one dies with only a Will, the Surrogate’s Court must validate it and appoint the executor. Though our aim is typically to help you and your family avoid probate, if action isn't taken quickly enough or an extenuating circumstance applies, sometimes probate is necessary. At Simon Law Group, we guide you from filing to final distributions: notices, creditor claims, marshaling assets, selling property, preparing accountings, and closing the estate. Our goal is clear communication, predictable timelines, and minimal drama.
For beneficiaries, we provide status dashboards and plain‑English updates so transparency replaces suspicion. Compassion and efficiency can coexist—and should.
When a loved one passes away, handling their estate can feel overwhelming—especially while you're grieving. In a case like this, it's our mission to help executors and beneficiaries through every step of the probate process. This also includes settling debts and distributing inheritances. Whether you’re facing a straightforward estate or complex family dynamics, our experienced attorneys provide compassionate, clear, and efficient legal support.
Let us help you move forward with confidence and peace of mind.
Medicaid & Long-Term Care Planning
Consider a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust
Not to be confused with Medicare, Medicaid is a federal program that provides health coverage for people with limited assets and income. People who have excess assets and income often wish to start the process of protecting their assets so that if and when the time comes that they require nursing home care, they will be eligible to receive Medicaid benefits Medicaid planning can also be done even if your loved one is already in or is about to enter a skilled nursing facility. However, the earlier you begin your planning, the more options you will have to protect your assets and your loved ones.
Medicaid is needs‑based health coverage with strict tests and a 5‑year look‑back for most transfers. Early planning widens your options; crisis planning is still possible with careful timing. We analyze exempt assets, caregiver agreements, and whether a MAPT fits your goals, then align your powers and trust language so agents can implement the plan without court.
We can also coordinate Medicare, Medigap/Advantage, and IRMAA‑aware distribution timing with your tax advisor so coverage stays intact while out‑of‑pocket costs remain predictable.
Special Needs & Supplemental Needs
Disability and Special Needs Trusts
Assets left to disabled beneficiaries can disqualify them from benefits received from state and federal entitlement programs (such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income).
The creation of Supplemental Needs Trusts (SNTs) which enable you to leave any amount of money to loved ones with special needs without affecting their eligibility for state and federal benefits. It is important that the money never be paid directly to the beneficiary, as that will cause a reduction of SSI benefits or a total loss of Medicaid benefits. It is important to carefully choose the right trustee and to consider appointing a trust protector should the laws change.
A well‑intended inheritance can unintentionally disrupt SSI/Medicaid. A Third‑Party Special Needs Trust (SNT) preserves benefits while improving quality of life—housing, therapies, transportation, technology. We add an advocate clause, ABLE coordination, and True Link card options, and we train trustees on practical, benefits‑safe administration.
Your plan also addresses guardianship or supported decision‑making and places key instructions in one secure, accessible vault for caregivers.
Guardianship
Minors & Incapacitated Adults
A guardian is a person chosen or appointed to effect legal decisions for another who is unable to make those choices on their own. Guardianship is frequently over a minor child or an individual who is incapacitated through disability or age. Parents are considered the “natural guardians” of special needs children with the right to make all decisions for them. However, such rights do not permit parents to have access to or control over their children’s assets (i.e., proceeds from a lawsuit or gifts from family members). In addition, when children turn eighteen, parents lose their rights as natural guardians and the ability to make health care and other life decisions.
Why Choose Us?
Simon Law Group LLC is one of the Leading T&E Law Firms in NJ
We’re relationship‑first. Strategy comes before drafting; drafting is followed by funding; and maintenance keeps everything current. That workflow is how families stay out of court and out of conflict.
Our team is NJ‑savvy: Bargain & Sale Deeds, Surrogate practice, shore‑property issues, and inheritance‑tax awareness are everyday work here. We stand behind our work with fixed‑fee engagements and plain‑language deliverables.
How to Choose a Skilled New Jersey Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning Attorney
Not every lawyer who has “done a Will or two” is truly focused on estate planning. This guide walks through what a dedicated New Jersey estate planning attorney actually does, red flags to avoid (like “15-minute, fill-in-the-blank” offers), and why local NJ experience with our courts, taxes, and shore/commuter realities really matters.
Simon Law Group, LLC
We’re a New Jersey–focused, relationship-first practice.
We don’t sell 'binders;' we build a strategy, draft the documents, fund the trusts (deeds, titles, beneficiaries), and keep everything current through our Annual Maintenance Program (AMP) or Continuing Counsel Plan (CCP).
If you love your people, don’t leave a mess. Give us a few minutes here, and we’ll turn it into a plan that keeps them out of court, out of conflict, and out of chaos.
Tell us who matters, what you own, and what success looks like to you. We’ll design, draft, fund, and maintain a plan that works in real life.
