Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., PLLC

06/03/2026

Does the Power of Attorney settle a person's estate when they die? No. The Power of Attorney stops when a person dies.
The executor or trustee (who might be a different person) is charged with the settling the estate.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

06/02/2026

I'm reading a novel right now that ironically crosses over into estate planning. A family has a huge falling out with their adult son who stormed out eight years ago and never spoke to his parents again. The parents are in a terrible car accident and this son is still listed as their healthcare proxy so he has to come back to make all these hard decisions for his parents that he hasn't seen or spoken to in years. It's heartbreaking.

The moral of the story? Update your incapacity planning documents or when you have a major life event. It could really matter.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month!

This is your reminder that there are a huge (HUGE) number of legal and financial benefits to being legally married in America.
Obergefell v. Hodges (2015 case that legalized same s*x marriage in America) was an estate tax case.

We as a country have made the decision to protect and encourage marriage between individuals which means everyone should be able to take that leap with the person they love.

That love should be protected and celebrated in the eyes of the public and the law.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

05/28/2026

What is a testamentary trust? A testamentary trust is a Trust fund that is written into a Last Will and Testament. It doesn't come into actual existence until your death. You don't fund the trust now, file a tax return for it, or manage it. It's a great option for families with minor children to have a plan in place just in case something happens while their children are still too young to manage their own money.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

05/27/2026

Do married couples have to use the same lawyer? Nope.
Most married couples use the same attorney but it's certainly not required. In fact, if you have different estate planning goals, you should use your own lawyers anyway.
It doesn't mean you don't love each other. It just means that everyone is getting appropriate representation to reflect their individual goals. This is more common with second marriages or for individuals with children from previous relationships.

42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

05/26/2026

A revokable living trust is a great estate planning option for business owners who have the power to assign their interest in the business. This allows the business to continue operating if there is an incapacitation or death.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

05/22/2026

Do the beneficiaries listed on bank accounts control or what you state in your Will?
If you name a beneficiary on your 401K, that person inherits. It doesn't matter if you name someone else in your Will.

When is the last time you checked your beneficiaries? Do you still like that person? Are you still married to them? If not, get that changed. Right now.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

05/21/2026

A trust fund is a set of guardrails to manage funds for someone's benefit if they are not in a good place to manage it for themselves outright. This can be because they are too young, are incapacitated, have terrible money skills, have an unreliable spouse, or have a lot of debt.

Is it a magic way to avoid taxes? No. If anything, it's more expensive because of the higher trust tax rates (~38% after $16K in income if not distributed). But it doesn't always make sense to leave money outright to people. Not sure if a Trust is a good option for your heirs? Let's talk about it.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

05/20/2026

Do young and/or healthy people need incapacity documents?
Yes.
Say is again for those in the back.
Every single adult should have a Durable Power of Attorney, A Healthcare Power of Attorney, a HIPAA Release, and an advanced directive. Accidents and serious illness can happen at the drop of a hat and you should protect yourself before you need it.

www.schlesingerestates.com


Margaret K. Schlesinger, Esq., LLC
42 Park Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
[email protected]
973.295.6288

Free In-Office Consultation (Madison, NJ):
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/in-office-initial-consultation

Free Zoom or Phone Consultation:
https://calendly.com/schlesingerestates/30min

“No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. All of my posts are for education or entertainment only and are not to be construed as legal advice. I strongly encourage you to reach out to a local lawyer to get legal advice tailored to your situation."

05/19/2026

Are you near Madison? The local rotary is having a shredding event. This is a great way to securely get rid of all of those papers with personal information (think social security numbers, account numbers, dates of birth, etc.)

Protect your identity and support a great local cause at the Madison Rotary Club’s Community Document Shredding Fundraiser!

On Saturday, May 30, 2026, residents and businesses are invited to safely dispose of sensitive documents — including tax returns, financial statements, medical records, and confidential files — with secure on-site shredding services.

📅 Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 Location: Parking lot at the corner of Kings Rd & Maple Ave in Madison (entry via Maple Ave)

💵 Cost:
• $10 per box or grocery bag
• Cash, check, and credit cards accepted
• Larger containers priced accordingly

📄 Paper Only Please:
Remove binders and avoid bringing plastic, cardboard, electronics, or non-paper materials.

♻️ Bonus Recycling Opportunity:
A truck from Morris Habitat for Humanity ReStore will also be on-site accepting donations of new or gently used furniture, hardware, home improvement items, and building materials.

All proceeds benefit Madison Rotary Club charitable programs, including local community service projects and youth initiatives.

For updates and additional information on this and other various community projects, please visit: https://www.madisonrotarynj.org/