What is the Difference Between a Will and Living Will?

Legal terms and legal document names can often be confusing. You might think that a Will and a Living Will, both having “Will” in the name, would be similar, but they are quite different. Understanding the difference between them illustrates the importance of having a comprehensive set of estate planning documents in place. What is […]

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9 Questions to Ask an Estate Administration Attorney

Estate administration is the process of handling a deceased person’s affairs after they pass away. The tasks necessary vary widely and are typically handled by family members or other trusted persons with the assistance of an estate attorney. If your loved one had a comprehensive estate plan in place, the process is quicker and easier […]

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A Spring Cleaning Checklist for Your Estate Plan

Spring is just around the corner. As you take time to refresh your home and garden, take the opportunity to look over your estate plan as well. Here is a checklist to help you review your estate planning documents. When Was the Last Time You Updated Your Estate Plan?  An estate plan should be periodically […]

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Keeping Families Together Using Elder Law Mediation

As parents age and require more care, many families face intense conflicts with each other. Fighting between siblings often occurs over how to handle health care needs, living arrangements, asset protection and inheritance issues. Disputes often stem from something far deeper, such as a lengthy history of sibling rivalry. Mediation can help the siblings sort […]

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5 Types of Trusts in New York

A comprehensive estate plan allows you and your family to feel financially secure and confident. A trust is the most important document at the foundation of that plan. An asset protection plan allows a family to rest assured that not all assets will be spent down on the cost of long-term health care. A trust […]

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Grounds for Contesting a Will in New York

When an individual passes away with a Last Will and Testament, the Will is submitted to the  Surrogate’s Court for a probate proceeding. This court proceeding results in the Surrogate (the judge) determining if the Will is valid.  If the Will is valid, it is considered “admitted to probate” by the Court and the terms […]

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Health Care Proxy vs. Living Will: What’s the Difference?

Health Care Proxies and Living Wills are related, but separate, legal documents. These important documents allow you to keep control of key health care decisions by making arrangements in advance and appointing trusted agents to assist you in the future. These essential estate planning documents allow you to designate a medical decision-maker and provide them […]

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Top 10 Questions to Ask an Elder Law Attorney

1. What Does an Elder Law Attorney Do? Elder Law is a specialized field of law that addresses the unique legal issues affecting older adults as they age.  Elder Law encompasses estate planning, asset protection, special needs planning, Medicaid planning and applications, probate and estate administration, guardianship proceedings, and, at Cona Elder law, estate litigation. […]

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WHO’s WHO: Healthcare Law

Published in Long Island Business News Special Section June 2021 Jennifer B. Cona is the founder and managing partner of Cona Elder Law PLLC in Melville. In practice for more than two de-cades, Cona Elder Law offers unsurpassed advocacy in health-care reimbursement and recovery, elder law, litigation and col-lections. Representing over 200 skilled nursing facilities, […]

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The New Power of Attorney: What You Need to Know for June 13th

As published on Longisland.com and Danspapers.com As we reflect on the lessons learned during the pandemic, one thing is certain: the unexpected and unthinkable can happen to any one of us at any time. Peopleof all ages are rushing to get their estate planning affairs in order. A Power of Attorney is a critical legal […]

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