Kenneth Vercammen, Esq is Chair of the ABA Elder Law Committee and presents seminars to attorneys and the public on Wills, Probate and other legal topics related to Estate Planning and Elder law. He is author of the ABA's book "Wills and Estate Administration. Kenneth Vercammen & Associates,
2053 Woodbridge Avenue - Edison, NJ 08817
(732) 572-0500 More information at www.njlaws.com/

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Free Wills and Power of Attorney available for Princeton University covered employees under Metlife Legal Plan

 

Free Wills and Power of Attorney available for Princeton University covered employees under Metlife Legal Plan

The Law Office of Kenneth Vercammen serves as a New Jersey Access Attorney for Metlife Legal HYATT Plan and several other major national legal service plans. We prepare Wills, Powers of Attorney and Living Wills for members. 

 

      For covered Princeton University employees, they will be entitled to a free Will for them and spouse, Power of Attorney for husband & wife, Living Will husband & wife, Testamentary Trust within a Will for minor children.  There is also representation for certain Traffic Offenses in NJ,

 

 

  Why a Will is essential to persons with children or who own property

      

     If you leave no Will or your Will is declared invalid because it was improperly prepared or is not admissible to probate:

 

* State law determines who gets assets, not you

* Additional expenses will be incurred and extra work will be required to qualify an administrator-Surety Bond, additional costs and legal fees

* Judge determines who gets custody of your children

* Possible additional State inheritance taxes and Federal estate taxes

*  If you have no spouse or close relatives the State may take your property

* The procedure to distribute assets becomes more complicated 

*  It may also cause fights and lawsuits within your family

     When loved ones are grieving and dealing with death, they shouldn’t be overwhelmed with financial concerns.  

 

     Who don’t you want to receive your assets?

 

     Who is not the best choice to raise your children, or safeguard your children's money for college?   Do you want children, or grandchildren, to get money when they turn 18?  Will they invest money wisely, or go to Seaside and play games?

 

 

What HYATT Metlife members can do to get started… 

 

HYATT Metlife members should call HYATT Metlife legal at 800.821.6400to obtain an authorization numbers for each Will, Power of Attorney, Codicil and Living Will you want. 

Members can also obtain authorization numbers online at https://members.legalplans.com/Home/

 

You can always call HYATT Metlife Legal Plans Monday through Thursday 8-7 and Friday 8-6 Eastern Time for assistance and information about your legal plan.

 

    After obtaining an authorization number, call Kenneth Vercammen’s Law Office for a free confidential consultation and preparation of Wills and estate planning documents- all free to HYATT Metlife members

A Will must not only be prepared within the legal requirements of the New Jersey Statutes but should also be prepared so it leaves no questions regarding your intentions.

 

WHY PERIODIC  REVIEW IS ESSENTIAL

     

     Even if you have an existing  Will, there are many events that occur which may necessitate changes in your Will.  Some of these are:

     

* Marriage, death, birth, divorce or separation affecting either you or  anyone named in your Will

 

* Significant changes in the value of your total assets or in any particular assets, which you own

     

* A change in your domicile

     

* Death or incapacity of a beneficiary, or death, incapacity or change in residence of a named executor, trustee or guardian of infants, or of one of the witnesses to the execution of the Will

 

* Annual changes in tax law

 

* Changes in who you like

 

If you have a current Will, can you change it the next year?

     

     Yes.  A Will may be modified, added to, or entirely changed at any time before your death provided you are mentally and physically competent and desire to change your Will.  You should consider revising your Will whenever there are changes in the size of your estate. For example, when your children are young, you may think it best to have a trust for them so they do not come into absolute ownership of  property until they are mature.  Beware, if you draw lines through items, erase or write over, or add notations to the original Will, it can be destroyed as a legal document.  Either a new Will should be legally prepared or a codicil signed to legally change  portions of the Will.

 

     THE FOLLOWING IS A SAMPLE OF A VARIETY OF CLAUSES AND ITEMS WHICH  KENNETH VERCAMMEN’S LAW OFFICE OFTEN INCLUDES IN A WILL

 

1ST:  DEBTS AND TAXES

2ND: SPECIFIC BEQUESTS

3RD:  DISPOSITION TO SPOUSE

4TH: DISPOSITION OF REMAINDER OF ESTATE

5TH: CREATION OF TRUSTS FOR SPOUSE

6TH: CREATION OF TRUST FOR CHILDREN

7TH: OTHER BENEFICIARIES UNDER 21

8TH: EXECUTORS

9TH: TRUSTEES

10TH: GUARDIANS

11TH: SURETY OR BOND

12TH: POWERS 

13TH: AFTERBORN CHILDREN

14TH: PRINCIPAL AND INCOME

15TH: NO ASSIGNMENT OF BEQUESTS

16TH: GENDER

17TH: CONSTRUCTION OF WILL

18TH:  NO CONTEST CLAUSE

    

Kenneth A. Vercammen is an Edison, Middlesex County, NJ trial attorney who has published125 articles in national and New Jersey publications. He is co-chair of the Probate & Estate Planning Committee of the American Bar Association, Solo Division. He often lectures to trial lawyers of the American Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association and Middlesex County Bar Association.  

He is a highly regarded lecturer on litigation issues for the American Bar Association, ICLE, New Jersey State Bar Association and Middlesex County Bar Association. New Jersey Law Journal, ABA Law Practice Management Magazine, and New Jersey Lawyer have published his articles.  He is the Editor in Chief of the New Jersey Municipal Court Law Review. Mr. Vercammen is a recipient of the NJSBA- YLD Service to the Bar Award.

In his private practice, he has devoted a substantial portion of his professional time to the preparation and trial of litigated matters.  He has appeared in Courts throughout New Jersey several times each week on Criminal personal injury matters, Municipal Court trials, and contested Probate hearings.  He serves as the Editor of the popular legal website www.njlaws.com

KENNETH VERCAMMEN & ASSOCIATES

ATTORNEY AT LAW 

2053 Woodbridge Ave.

 Edison, NJ 08817 

(Phone) 732-572-0500 

(Fax) 732-572-0030 

website: www.njlaws.com