The Village Law Firm

The Village Law Firm The Village Law Firm advises families and individuals on providing for their loved ones, protecting

Something a little different from us this month.The Village Law Firm is proud to be sponsoring a series of Coffee with F...
06/02/2026

Something a little different from us this month.

The Village Law Firm is proud to be sponsoring a series of Coffee with Friends gatherings in New York City, in partnership with America Josh — a community built for Australian expats navigating life in the United States.

Our Director of Outreach and Partnerships, Betty-Jeanne Rueters-Ward, attended the first gathering last Friday and came back talking about how warm and welcoming the group was. Wide-ranging conversation about life in New York, life back home, and everything in between.

If you're an Australian expat in New York City — or know someone who is — the next two gatherings are coming up:

Friday, June 5th (https://americajosh.com/event/new-york-coffee-with-new-friends-246/
Friday, June 12th (https://americajosh.com/event/new-york-coffee-with-new-friends-247/

Shannon McNulty and Josh Pugh of AmericaJosh also recently co-hosted a webinar on estate planning and wills specifically for Australian expats. If you missed it, the full recording and writeup are available here: https://americajosh.com/blog/general/expert-qa-estate-planning-wills-for-australian-expats/

Because estate planning looks different when your life spans two countries. And because community makes all of it a little easier.

June is Pride Month.At The Village Law Firm we work with LGBTQ+ families year-round, not just in June. But this month fe...
06/01/2026

June is Pride Month.

At The Village Law Firm we work with LGBTQ+ families year-round, not just in June. But this month feels like a good time to say it clearly:

Your family is real. Your plan should protect it completely.

Marriage equality changed a lot. But gaps still exist in how the law treats LGBTQ+ families, especially when it comes to non-biological parental rights, estate documents in hostile states, and name changes for transgender individuals.

We don't believe any family should have to fight for protections that should already be theirs.

Happy Pride Month to every family we serve and every family we haven't met yet.

Before you pack your bags this summer, there's one thing worth checking off the list.Not sunscreen. Not the out-of-offic...
05/29/2026

Before you pack your bags this summer, there's one thing worth checking off the list.

Not sunscreen. Not the out-of-office reply.

Your estate plan.

Traveling — especially internationally — is one of those moments where having the right documents in place genuinely matters.

Who has authority to make decisions if something happens while you're away? Who can access accounts, manage your affairs, step in for your children?

If those answers aren't documented, your family may have no legal way to help when they need to most.

One conversation before you go can change that completely.

Then you can actually enjoy the trip.

A lot of people have heard they should probably have a trust.Fewer people know what one actually does.Here's a plain lan...
05/28/2026

A lot of people have heard they should probably have a trust.

Fewer people know what one actually does.

Here's a plain language explanation.

A trust is a legal arrangement where assets are held and managed according to your instructions — either during your lifetime, after your death, or both.

Unlike a will, a trust doesn't go through probate. That means your assets can transfer to your family privately, efficiently, and without court involvement.

A trust can also:
Specify exactly when and how your children receive assets — not just that they receive them.

Protect an inheritance from creditors or divorce.

Provide for a spouse while preserving assets for children from a prior relationship.

Manage assets for a family member with special needs without affecting their benefits.

Reduce estate tax exposure for larger estates.

A will tells people what you want. A trust makes it happen — on your terms, without a court in the middle.

Not everyone needs a trust. But most families with children, property, or significant assets benefit from having one.

Save this if you've been wondering whether a trust is right for your family.

Most estate planning conversations focus on what happens when you pass away.But there's another scenario most families n...
05/27/2026

Most estate planning conversations focus on what happens when you pass away.

But there's another scenario most families never plan for.

What happens if you're alive, but unable to make decisions for yourself?
A medical emergency. A sudden illness. An accident that leaves you temporarily incapacitated.

In that moment, without the right documents in place:

Your spouse may not be able to access joint accounts.

Your partner may have no legal authority to make medical decisions.

Your bills may go unpaid while family members wait for court approval.

A judge may end up appointing someone to manage your affairs.

This isn't a rare situation. It happens to people of every age.

The good news is, two estate planning documents prevent most of these issues.

A durable power of attorney gives someone you trust the authority to manage your finances and a health care proxy gives someone you trust the authority to make medical decisions on your behalf.

Together these two documents ensure the right person can step in immediately, without court involvement, and without confusion.

Planning for incapacity isn't a fringe decision. It's one of the most practical things you can do for the people who love you.

Save this. It's worth coming back to.

You're invited:🔴 Free Live Webinar on Minimizing Estate Taxes for Your Family📅 May 27th, 2026 | 🕐 12 pm EST | 💻 via Zoo...
05/26/2026

You're invited:
🔴 Free Live Webinar on Minimizing Estate Taxes for Your Family
📅 May 27th, 2026 | 🕐 12 pm EST | 💻 via Zoom

Estate taxes can erode the legacy you've worked a lifetime to build — but they don’t have to. Learn how estate taxes work, where families get caught off guard, and strategies to minimize exposure.

Who should attend? Anyone with a taxable estate — or who expects to have one.

Spots are limited.
👉 Register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2817788548989/WN_bdem3DDFRN29jqMaqQJafg

If you rent your apartment in New York, you might assume estate planning doesn't apply to you yet.Spoiler alert: It does...
05/26/2026

If you rent your apartment in New York, you might assume estate planning doesn't apply to you yet.

Spoiler alert: It does. 🛑

Estate planning isn’t about how much you own. It’s about who has the authority to act for you, and what happens to the people and things you care about if something unexpected occurs.

For NYC renters, a proper plan protects things you might not have considered:

Your security deposit: It doesn't automatically go to your loved ones.

Your pets: Ensuring they have a designated guardian immediately.

Your rent-stabilized apartment: This can be permanently lost without someone legally empowered to act quickly.

Your digital life: Savings, personal property, and online accounts.

Your health: Who makes medical decisions if you can't?

Without a plan, your family may need court approval just to access your accounts or deal with your landlord. In New York's fast-moving rental market, court delays can cost you, and your family, dearly.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be complicated. A simple Will, a Power of Attorney, and a Health Care Proxy can cover most of what renters need. It doesn't have to be complex, it just has to exist.

Full guide at the link in our bio.

This Memorial Day, we honor those who gave everything for the people they loved.Their sacrifice is a reminder of what it...
05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we honor those who gave everything for the people they loved.
Their sacrifice is a reminder of what it means to put others first.
Take a moment today to be grateful for the people around you.
Wishing you a peaceful and meaningful day.
— The Village Law Firm

Most people think of charitable giving and estate planning as two separate things.They don't have to be.When structured ...
05/22/2026

Most people think of charitable giving and estate planning as two separate things.

They don't have to be.

When structured intelligently, philanthropy can support the causes you care about, reduce your tax exposure, and preserve more wealth for your family, all at the same time.

A few things worth knowing:
Leaving your IRA or 401(k) to a charity is often more tax efficient than leaving it to your children. Your children pay income tax on every distribution from an inherited retirement account. A qualified charity pays nothing. That same dollar goes further when it goes to a cause rather than to taxes.

A Donor Advised Fund lets you make a charitable contribution now, take the deduction immediately, and distribute funds to organizations over time. One contribution. One deduction. Complete flexibility over where it goes and when.

A Charitable Remainder Trust can provide income to you or your family for a period of years and then pass the remainder to charity. It can also allow you to diversify a concentrated stock position without triggering immediate capital gains tax.

Charitable planning is about giving wisely.

Full guide at the link in our bio if you want to go deeper.

If you're unable to make medical decisions for yourself, someone else will have to make them for you.The question become...
05/21/2026

If you're unable to make medical decisions for yourself, someone else will have to make them for you.

The question becomes, will they know what you would have wanted?

A living will, sometimes called an Advance Medical Directive, lets you answer that question before the moment arrives. It documents your wishes clearly, such as, what types of life-sustaining treatment you do or don't want, your preferences in a terminal condition, and how you want care decisions handled.

It's often paired with a Health Care Proxy, which gives one person you trust the legal authority to speak for you when you can't.

Together these two documents accomplish something no amount of good intentions can do on their own. They remove the guesswork. They protect your loved ones from having to make complex decisions under emergency situations, without any guidance. And they make sure your actual wishes are honored, not just assumed.

This is one of the most personal things estate planning touches. And yet somehow, one of the most overlooked.

Something worth thinking about.

Address

1270 Avenue Of The Americas, 7th Floor
New York, NY
10020

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Village Law Firm posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to The Village Law Firm:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category