Wills vs. revocable living trusts
How each works in New Jersey, what a revocable living trust actually keeps out of the Surrogate probate process, and when a will alone leaves gaps.
Clubhouse Conversations · Free Seminar
Protect your family. Avoid probate.
Protect your family. Avoid probate.
Plan with confidence.
So You Think You Need a Trust? An overview of comprehensive estate planning for the modern era, led by the Simon Law Group estate-planning team at Raritan Valley Country Club. Bring your questions. Leave knowing your next step.
- Led by the Simon Law Group estate-planning team
- Plain-language, New Jersey-specific guidance
- Bring your questions, no sales pitch
Reserve your seat
Free to attend. Worth every minute.
Seating is free but limited, and registration closes Thursday, July 16, 2026. Reserve your spot and we will email your confirmation and directions to the club.
Attendee offer
10% off your trust
Seminar attendees who attend the seminar and sign with Simon Law Group for trust work by August 31, 2026 receive 10% off the firm's fee for that trust. On an irrevocable trust, that averages about $750 in savings. The discount applies to the firm's fee only; it is not a prediction or guarantee about the outcome of any matter.
Excludes testamentary trusts. Available to seminar attendees only, one discount per engagement, and subject to the firm accepting the matter. Ask the firm for full details.
- Date
- Thursday, July 23, 2026
- Time
- 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM ET
- Location
- Raritan Valley Country Club
747 State Route 28, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Get directions - Parking
- Free on-site parking is available. The club is right on Route 28 in Bridgewater.
Your information stays private. We use it only to confirm your seat and follow up about the seminar. No confidential documents, please.
Reserve your seat
Register free for Thursday, July 23, 2026
Seating is limited. Reserve your spot in under a minute. Only your name, email, phone, and ZIP are required. The rest helps us tailor the evening to the questions in the room.
Thanks, we've received your submission.
Stay on the lookout for an email from us over the next several days so we can finalize your slot for Clubhouse Conversations on Thursday, July 23, 2026, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM ET.
Questions in the meantime? Call (800) 709-1131.
One evening. The questions every NJ family should be able to answer.
No jargon and no sales pitch, just clear New Jersey-specific answers you can act on.
Irrevocable trusts, MAPTs & asset protection
How irrevocable trusts, including Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts (MAPTs), can help shield assets from long-term care and nursing costs when planning is done early enough (New Jersey applies a five-year Medicaid look-back), and the myths that cost families money.
Powers of attorney and health-care directives
The documents that let someone you trust act for you if you cannot, and why a will does nothing while you are alive.
Protecting children and loved ones with special needs
Children's safety plans, trustee-managed funds for minors, and special-needs trusts designed to help preserve a beneficiary's eligibility for means-tested benefits when properly established.
Firearms and other unique assets in your estate
How New Jersey law treats firearms in an estate: transferring a lawful firearm collection to eligible heirs, avoiding an accidental unlawful transfer, and coordinating with New Jersey firearms rules, plus planning for business interests and other special holdings. New Jersey heavily restricts many firearm-related items; we plan only within New Jersey and federal law.
New Jersey and federal estate tax, in plain English
New Jersey no longer has an estate tax, but it still has an inheritance tax that depends on who inherits. The federal estate and gift tax exemption is $15 million per person for 2026 (indexed for inflation), which is high enough that most families owe no federal estate tax, though the rules can change. We will explain what applies to your family.
A will alone leaves gaps. A funded plan closes them.
With a will alone
- Assets held in your name alone generally pass through the Surrogate probate process
- The will becomes public record
- No help if you become incapacitated while alive
- Out-of-state property can require a separate probate in that state
- Funds for minor children may be court-supervised
With a funded plan
- A funded trust generally avoids probate
- Trust terms usually stay private
- A named agent or trustee can act if you cannot
- Out-of-state property can often avoid ancillary probate
- You set how and when children receive funds
Every family is different. The seminar explains which tools fit which situations, not a one-size answer.
Built for families across Central and North Jersey.
Especially Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren, Morris, Mercer, and Middlesex counties, and everyone nearby.
Hunterdon County
County seat: Flemington
Flemington, Raritan Township, Clinton, Readington, Lebanon
Somerset County
County seat: Somerville
Somerville, Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Franklin Township, Bernards
Warren County
County seat: Belvidere
Belvidere, Phillipsburg, Washington, Hackettstown, Blairstown
Morris County
County seat: Morristown
Morristown, Morris Township, Parsippany, Denville, Randolph
Mercer County
County seat: Trenton
Trenton, Hamilton, Princeton, Lawrence Township, Ewing
Middlesex County
County seat: New Brunswick
New Brunswick, Edison, Woodbridge, Piscataway, Perth Amboy
Questions, answered.
Is the seminar really free?
Yes. There is no charge to attend and no obligation to hire the firm. Seating is limited, so registration is required.
Do I need an estate plan already?
No. The seminar is built for New Jersey families at every stage, whether you have nothing in place, only a will, or an older plan that needs review.
Can I bring my spouse or a family member?
Yes. Select "Me and a guest" when you register so we can reserve seating. Estate planning is often a household decision.
Will anyone try to sell me something?
No. This is an educational seminar. Attendees who want to go further may request a complimentary, no-obligation strategy session afterward.
Attorney advertising & seminar terms
This seminar is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Attending does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Simon Law Group, LLC.
Seminar information. Offered free through Thursday, July 16, 2026. There is no registration fee, and attendance does not obligate you to book a consultation or retain the firm.
Attendee discount. Seminar attendees who attend the seminar and sign with Simon Law Group for trust work by August 31, 2026 receive 10% off the firm's fee for that trust. On an irrevocable trust, that averages about $750 in savings. The discount applies to the firm's fee only; it is not a prediction or guarantee about the outcome of any matter. Excludes testamentary trusts. Available to seminar attendees only, one discount per engagement, and subject to the firm accepting the matter. Ask the firm for full details.
Strategy session follow-up. Attendees may request a complimentary, no-obligation initial strategy consultation. A consultation is a separate engagement; it is not a commitment to hire the firm, and the firm may decline representation based on conflicts of interest or other professional-responsibility concerns.
Your registration is not a confidential relationship. Information you share on this registration form or during the seminar is for scheduling and educational purposes and does not create a prospective-client or confidential relationship. Please do not share confidential or sensitive details until the firm has confirmed there is no conflict and a consultation is arranged.
No guarantee. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every estate and family situation is unique. Statements made during the seminar are general information about New Jersey estate planning, not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a qualified New Jersey-licensed attorney before taking action.
Questions? Call (800) 709-1131 or email info@simonattorneys.com.