My goal is to form and maintain long term relationships with my clients. I am blessed to be a happy husband, a proud father and a joyful pet owner. I have always felt that a life well lived is one filled with connections to others.
Our lives are plagued with uncertainty. If you are single, married or in a relationship; if you have children, plan to have children or not; or if you have pets or charities that you wish to provide for, you need a plan to address that uncertainty. When you don't have a plan in place, state laws will control what happens to you and your family. I can help you formulate and implement a plan tailored to your needs and choices and then review that plan with you throughout your life to make changes as needed.
Eliminate uncertainty for your family should you become incapacitated or die. Protect and control your assets. But most importantly, leave a legacy of confidence and positivity for all your loved ones.
Presently, areas of practice include Estate Planning, Probate & Administration, and Residential Real Estate.
I serve as a Consultant to several mortgage companies, having instructed real estate and mortgage licensees for many years and co-authored and edited several mortgage textbooks including Mortgage Lending Principles and Practices (6th, 7th and 8th edition).
I am a NYS Certified Real Estate Instructor. I am a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the New York City Bar Association. I serve as a Volunteer Attorney for Free Legal Answers through the ABA as well as serving as a member of the Estate Planning Committee of the Senior Lawyers Division and serve on the New York City Bar Association's Consumer Affair Committee. I am an Attorney Member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and support several charitable organizations.
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Free Consultation
- Credit Cards Accepted
- New York
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Attorney
- Benjamin Katz, Esq. P.C.
- - Current
- Attorney
- Law Offices of Benjamin Z. Katz, Esq.
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- Hofstra University
- J.D. (1994) | Law
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- State University of New York - Stony Brook
- B.A. (1991) | History
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- New York City Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Consumer Affairs Committee Member
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- American Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- New York State Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- Mortgage Lending Principles and Practices, 8th Ed.
- Hondros Learning
- Animal Law Issues 2022, 225 Eastview Drive, Central Islip, NY 11722
- Touro Law School
- Certified Real Estate Instructor
- New York State Department of State
7 Threats to Your Estate Plan March 2021
- Q. Grandfather died. My grandmother was the beneficiary of his life insurance policy but predeceased him in 2016.
- A: If a beneficiary of a life insurance policy predeceases the policyholder and there is no contingent beneficiary, the policy will be payable to the estate of the policyholder. If your grandfather had a Will, distribution will be made pursuant to that. The Will will have to be probated if that has not been done yet. If there is no Will, someone will have to apply for Letters of Administration. Distribution will be made based upon New York intestacy laws. Your grandfather's children and children of post-deceased children (grandchildren) are entitled to distribution.
- Q. Is there a need to probate a will if only two assets remain; life estate deed on house & joint bank account.
- A: Joint accounts pass outside probate as long as at least one account holder is alive. Life estates expire upon death. If all he had was a life estate and a joint bank account with a living co-owner, there are no assets to probate.
- Q. Is there anyone NOT afraid to sue FIDELITY INVESTMENTS for elder abuse and breach of contract/ fiduciary duty?
- A: What is the reason they do not wish to honor the power of attorney? Was it drafted by an attorney on the New York Short Form? If it is a valid POA, they can be compelled to honor it. Otherwise, you would need to apply for guardianship of your mother.
