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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
A lien can be placed on your property without your immediate knowledge. Typically, when someone places a lien on your property, they are required to notify you. However, communication delays can prevent you from being informed right away, especially if your mailing address is outdated. Any liens against your property become public records when they […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
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 […]
Read More
(855) 528-9637