A qualified personal residence trust (QPRT) offers an opportunity for homeowners to minimize or avoid federal and New Jersey estate taxes. A QPRT allows a homeowner to transfer ownership of a primary or vacation home to a “grantor trust,” while keeping the right to live there for a specified period…
The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that a fired employee can sue his employer for the harm he suffered from “cat’s paw discrimination” because of his membership in the Army Reserve. Federal and state courts have ruled that “cat’s paw” liability applies in a wide variety of other New…
Many people in New Jersey ask, “I had a small party at my house and one of my guests drank alcohol and later got into a car accident, am I liable?” New Jersey homeowners also ask, “Can I get in trouble serving alcohol to a minor?” The short answer to…
Just about everyone has been called a name or had someone say something about them that wasn’t true, but when does that false statement become actionable defamation? Under the law in New Jersey, defamation requires at least three people. It occurs when someone (“A”) makes a specific factual assertion about…
New Jersey law provides a “fresh start” or “clean slate” to people who made a mistake in the past, but turned their lives around and become a productive citizen by effectively clearing their records of arrests and convictions. These are called in New Jersey “expungements.” Why Get an Expungment? Expungements…
Under New Jersey law, anyone authorized to write a check can issue a stop payment order. A stop payment order tells the bank that it should not honor a check already written and given to someone, but not yet cashed. In New Jersey, a stop payment order is effective for…
The United States Supreme Court recently issued a decision on a contentious question in employment law , with important implications for New Jersey employment disputes – can an employee who did not engage in protected activity sue his employer for firing him to retaliate against a friend or family member…
Trying to determine what is and what is not a trade secret is often a complicated venture. A clear example, and one of the most heavily guarded of trade secrets, is the recipe for Coca Cola. However, the definition of trade secret can be interpreted as an all-encompassing category with…
The short answer is yes. Your will ensures that: • your assets are given to those whom you want to receive them; • you can control the way in the which your assets are distributed (for example, establishing a trust for the protection of a beneficiary, and designating the trustees);…
An estate plan carries out a person’s wishes at the time of their death and appoints people to make decisions during life. An estate plan commonly consists of three main documents: • Last will and testament • Durable power of attorney • Living will and health care proxy (medical power…