- Divorce
- Adoption
- GuardianshipWhen an elderly parent begins to lose mental capacity, when your disabled child reaches adulthood, when you’re raising a minor child whose legal parents are unable to do so—these are all situations where obtaining guardianship is appropriate and necessary. The Westchester County guardianship lawyers at Meyer & Spencer, PC have helped many potential guardians secure the legal authority they need to protect their loved ones.
- Corporate LawOur real estate practice is divided into two areas. We represent banks and institutional lenders at closings, and we represent individuals and entities in commercial and residential real estate transactions. Our experience includes homes, condominiums, planned unit developments, and cooperative apartments. Alongside our real estate practice, we also provide legal counsel to business clients involving LLC formation, incorporation, shareholder agreements, member agreements, buy-sell agreements, commercial leases, real estate purchase and sale transactions, on-going business dealings, and dissolution.
- Business DisputesAt Meyer & Spencer, PC, we understand that routine business law issues often arise during the course of your business day. These issues disrupt your focus and shift your attention away from running your business. Without an attorney on staff, most small business owners feel that they cannot delegate these routine, yet important, business law matters. So, they waste a substantial amount of time that would be better focused on tending to their business. We also recognize that many business owners are reluctant to call their attorneys with routine questions because they know the “clock is always ticking” and that they will receive a large legal bill for seemingly routine advice.
- Limited Liability CompaniesThe Westchester County business lawyers at Meyer & Spencer, PC have years of experience in forming partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies and businesses of every kind. All businesses need expert legal guidance; let our business law attorneys help you through the legal and transactional landscape of today’s complex business world.
- Employment LitigationJim has represented numerous small businesses including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies. Jim has counseled small businesses on start-up matters, contractual issues, employment issues and litigation matters. Our corporate law practice has provided Jim with extensive experience in the negotiating and drafting of business contracts and the purchases and sales of existing businesses.
- Real Estate TransactionsWe represent both buyers and sellers of residential real estate, condominiums, planned unit developments and cooperative apartments. In addition, we negotiate and draft agreements relating to commercial real estate purchases, sales and leases.
- Land Use and ZoningOne of Matt’s primary practice areas is Real Estate. Matt has represented both buyers and sellers of residential real estate, including 2 to 4 family dwellings. Matt has helped our commercial real estate clients buy and sell their commercial properties. Matt has serviced accounts and rendered closing services for approximately 30 different institutional lenders. Our firm has an extensive network of real estate agents, mortgage brokers, home inspectors and title representatives with whom we work. In addition, Matt has lectured for the Pace University School of Law Land Use Law Center’s continuing legal education program.
- Medicaid PlanningMany people avoid thinking about Medicaid planning, asset protection, and guardianship because they do not believe that they are getting old. However, it is never too early to begin thinking through your options, and it is much better to create an estate plan now than to have a crisis erupt without one. By planning now, you give yourself greater flexibility, and you can always change your mind later. However, by having an estate plan in place, you can weather any unwelcome surprise.
- Estate PlanningWhen the attorneys of Meyer & Spencer, PC help you with estate planning, one of our primary goals will be to protect your assets for the benefit of your loved ones. If you have a child with disabilities, we can help structure a gift or inheritance appropriately, so there is no loss of access to public assistance. To shield your assets from exorbitant estate taxes, we will determine and create the right trusts to ensure your beneficiaries, and not the IRS, receive the majority of your estate. We have the experience and knowledge to use trusts to the advantage of your loved ones and legacy.
- WillsThere are basically five steps to Probate. The first step is authenticating the Will. The second step is collecting the deceased’s assets. The third step is managing the assets, including the sale of any assets needed to accomplish the instructions in the Will. The fourth step is to pay legitimate debts. The last step is to pay the beneficiaries. It really can be that simple. Of course, the process can get a lot more complicated. In cases of missing heirs, of Will contests or of disputes among beneficiaries, the process can take years to work its way to completion.
- TrustsThere are several important benefits to using a revocable trust. With a properly executed revocable living trust, the assets held in trust are transferred during your lifetime through a different instrument than your will, so these assets will generally avoid the probate process. Also, because the trust is revocable, you’ll be able to withdraw funds from the trust during your lifetime, providing you more control over your assets. Finally, revocable trusts can help minimize the taxes associated with asset transfers and gifting.
- Power of AttorneyIt’s your right to choose who will manage your financial affairs and make health care decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated. Advance directives are written instruments giving others—family members, friends, financial institutions, doctors, hospitals, etc.—advance instructions or “directives” on how to manage your finances and health care if you cannot do so yourself. A comprehensive incapacity plan will include the use of a power of attorney, an appointment of a health care proxy, and a living will to ensure your wishes are honored and respected. Contact our experienced Westchester County advance directive lawyers today.
- Probate
- Tax LawTake, for instance, the true case of a senior (“Marge”) who came to our office. Marge had consulted a real estate attorney instead of an elder law attorney. Marge wanted to protect her home from the high cost of nursing home care. One of Marge’s friends told her to get her house out of her name. Marge bought the house for $40,000.00. At the time she went to the real estate attorney, the house was worth in excess of $600,000.00. Marge walked into the office of the real estate attorney (who had no experience in elder law) and asked him to transfer her property to her children. The real estate attorney obliged and prepared and filed a deed as requested. The elder law mistake is obvious to an elder law attorney. Unfortunately, no one told Marge that, by transferring the deed in that way, her family would be looking at a $540,000.00 capital gain on the property. And, the family was going to have to pay the taxes on that capital gain. Had Marge consulted an elder law attorney, she would have learned that there was a way to avoid incurring that capital gain. The elder law attorney would have told Marge that the simple solution to this problem would have been to include a life estate for Marge. This type of transfer would have not only guaranteed that Marge could live in her house until her death; but would have also provided Marge’s children with a stepped-up tax basis and no capital gains tax issues!
- Debt CollectionCounseling businesses is an important part of our practice. Our clients have included all types of legal entities, including sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations and limited liability companies. Matt has counseled his business clients on matters ranging from start-up matters, to contract drafting and negotiation, to employment issues, to litigation, to debt collection problems. Matt has helped our corporate law clients purchase and sell existing businesses and establish brand new ventures, including franchises.