What Are My Rights If My Name Is Not on the Deed, but I’m Married?

Gabriel Katzner - August 3, 2026 - Asset Protection

Key Takeaways Community property states treat homes acquired during marriage as shared property. Common-law states grant ownership only to individuals listed on the property title. Property owned before marriage or inherited is generally considered separate property. Adding a spouse to a deed can convert separate property into community property. Mortgage responsibility may remain with one […]

Land Trusts and Asset Protection: What Every Property Owner Should Know

Gabriel Katzner - February 19, 2026 - Asset Protection

When it comes to safeguarding real estate assets in California, Katzner Law Group understands that privacy and protection are key. Katzner Law Group helps property owners across San Diego and California navigate estate planning tools like land trusts, which can serve as an effective layer in your asset protection strategy. In this article, we’ll explore […]

What States Are Community Property States? Full List + Legal Implications

Gabriel Katzner - April 23, 2025 - Asset Protection

When it comes to estate planning and marital property law, understanding how different states treat assets acquired during a marriage is essential. At Katzner Law Group, we help individuals and families in New York and California navigate the complex landscape of asset ownership, estate transfers, and inheritance law. One of the most significant distinctions in […]

Can Someone Put a Lien on My House Without Me Knowing?

Gabriel Katzner - February 28, 2025 - Real Estate

Key Takeaways A lien is a legal claim on property that secures a debt or judgment. Liens become public records when recorded with the county records office. Creditors generally must notify owners before filing a lien on property. A title search may reveal liens placed on property without the owner’s knowledge. A lien release removes […]

How to Avoid a Nursing Home Taking Your Home

Gabriel Katzner - December 27, 2024 - Asset Protection

The median cost of long-term care in a nursing home (in 2024) for a private room is $330 per day or $10,025 per month. Semiprivate rooms cost about $1,000 less per month. Even for a semi-private room, this adds up to over $100,000 per year, a number that is unreachable for most people. Medicaid is […]

How Do I Avoid Paying Gift Tax?

Gabriel Katzner - November 22, 2024 - Beneficiary

A gift tax is a tax imposed on the gift giver, not the recipient. Therefore, it falls into a category different from income taxes. At first glance, gift taxes may seem complicated because there is both a lifetime exclusion amount and an annual gift exclusion amount. The current Internal Revenue Service (IRS) lifetime gift tax […]

Who Can Override a Power of Attorney?

Gabriel Katzner - November 15, 2024 - Guardianship

A power of attorney is a person who acts on your behalf to handle certain tasks or to make decisions when you cannot. As long as you are of sound mind, you can designate a person called an agent or attorney-in-fact to act on your behalf. As long as the principal or person who created […]

What are Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts?

Gabriel Katzner - - Asset Protection

In most states, to qualify for Medicaid benefits, your total assets must fall under a very small asset limit (along the lines of just a few thousand dollars). For new Medicaid applications submitted in New York, the asset limit in 2026 is $32,532 for a single applicant and $43,781 for a married couple. An irrevocable […]

Do Joint Bank Accounts Have Survivorship Rights?

Gabriel Katzner - October 18, 2024 - Asset Protection

A joint bank account is a common way to share funds with another person, such as a spouse, partner, or child. Upon the death of one account holder, if the joint account has rights of survivorship, the assets in the account pass to the surviving joint account owner. Besides joint tenants with rights of survivorship […]

What is a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust?

Gabriel Katzner - October 11, 2024 - Asset Protection

An irrevocable trust known as a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) safeguards assets like the family home during the application process for Medicaid long-term care benefits. To qualify for Medicaid, your assets must be under a certain level, and home equity often exceeds this threshold. Advance estate planning is critical because you can’t just transfer […]

Asset Protection