My goal is to form and maintain long term relationships with my clients. I am blessed to be a happy husband, a proud father and a joyful pet owner. I have always felt that a life well lived is one filled with connections to others.
Our lives are plagued with uncertainty. If you are single, married or in a relationship; if you have children, plan to have children or not; or if you have pets or charities that you wish to provide for, you need a plan to address that uncertainty. When you don't have a plan in place, state laws will control what happens to you and your family. I can help you formulate and implement a plan tailored to your needs and choices and then review that plan with you throughout your life to make changes as needed.
Eliminate uncertainty for your family should you become incapacitated or die. Protect and control your assets. But most importantly, leave a legacy of confidence and positivity for all your loved ones.
Presently, areas of practice include Estate Planning, Probate & Administration, Residential Real Estate, Guardianship and Animal Law.
I serve as a Consultant to several mortgage companies, having instructed real estate and mortgage licensees for many years and co-authored and edited several mortgage textbooks including Mortgage Lending Principles and Practices (6th, 7th and 8th edition).
I am a NYS Certified Real Estate Instructor. I am a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association. I serve as a Volunteer Attorney for Free Legal Answers through the ABA as well as serving as a member of the Estate Planning Committee of the Senior Lawyers Division and serve on the New York City Bar Association's Consumer Affair Committee. I am an Attorney Member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and support several charitable organizations.
- Hofstra University
- J.D. (1994) | Law
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- State University of New York - Stony Brook
- B.A. (1991) | History
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- Attorney
- Benjamin Katz, Esq. P.C.
- - Current
- Attorney
- Law Offices of Benjamin Z. Katz, Esq.
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- Mortgage Lending Principles and Practices, 8th Ed.
- Hondros Learning
- Certified Real Estate Instructor
- New York State Department of State
- New York City Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Consumer Affairs Committee Member
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- American Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- New York State Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- New York
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- Free Consultation
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Animal & Dog Law
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Elder Law
- English: Spoken, Written
- Q. If I put all of our assets into a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, do I still have any control over those assets?
- A: Bottom line ...no. Once an asset is in an irrevocable trust, which is what a MAPT is, you give up control of those assets. You may still be able to receive income from the trust, but you may not transfer, sell or use assets. You would appoint a trustee to control the assets. As for the corporation, unless it has some value by itself, there is no reason to transfer it to the trust.
- Q. A friend of mine bought me a new car before they passed away and the title is in my name only can it be taken by family
- A: If it was a gift, it’s yours. However, if the friend loaned you the money to buy the car and retained a lien or you signed a promissory note, the estate owns that debt.
- Q. I live in NY State. I want to create a Durable POA. I read the law in NY is changing and the new law will be in
- A: It depends what you want the POA for. If you sign it now it remains effective after the new law takes effect. You can always sign a new one later.