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
- Animal Law Issues 2022, 225 Eastview Drive, Central Islip, NY 11722
- Touro Law School
- 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. My stepbrother and I are Executors of our parents estate. I am to get the house which is paid for & 25% of money.
- A: When someone leaves a Will, the Executor must follow the instructions contained within. Normally debts are paid from the estate before distributions are made. I am confused about your statement that the house was sold in 2017 and property taxes are still due.
- Q. can a will/or unofficial will be contested by a non family member ?
- A: An Executor appointed by the Court is a fiduciary of the estate. They are required to follow the directives set forth in the Will which has been validated by the Court. There is no such thing as an unofficial Will. A Will may be contested by non-family members. However, they must demonstrate legal standing.
- Q. I’m looking for a legal method that would give me the proper authority to manage my parent's care? Is a healthcare proxy
- A: A Health Care Proxy would allow you to make health care decisions if your parents were unable to do so themselves. However, managing their care, paying expenses, and completing paperwork would require a Power of Attorney to be signed by your parents naming you as their agent. In both cases, your parents must have the ability to understand what they are signing and must express their desire to give you these powers. If they are unable to do so at this point, you will need to apply for Guardianship.
7 Threats to Your Estate Plan March 2021