A North Country church made headlines last week when the U.S. Justice Department threw its weight behind their challenge of a local zoning board’s decision not to allow them to hold services in a building they recently purchased. Christian Fellowship Centers paid $310,000 for the former nightclub and refitted it to host masses. The problem is […]
Sand and gravel mines are located all over New York State. While most operate legally, there are some that operate without a permit, which poses a significant risk to their operators—and some find that out the hard way. Earlier this month, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) entered into an Order on […]
During a consultation about estate planning, one of the questions most frequently asked by clients is “Will Medicaid take my house?” While some people amass a great deal of wealth during their lifetimes, for the average middle class person the family residence is his/her most valuable asset, and the concern of losing this asset to […]
In recent years the use of employment contracts has come under scrutiny in many states, including New York. But an employment contract may be necessary in order to prevent disclosure of trade secrets, unnecessary competition, or solicitation of clients or other employees. When creating an employment contract, it is important to ensure the contract is […]
February 14 is fast upon us and you fall into one of two camps: you either agree with the J. Geils Band that love stinks, or you are all about the chocolate and sweet nothings. History books will record the great NECCO Conversation Heart Tragedy of ’19, when the elementary school classic took a year […]
In December, 2018, The New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation announced that the New York State Drinking Water Quality Council had recommended that the Department of Health adopt the nation’s most protective maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for PFOA, PFOS, and the nation’s first MCL for 1,4-dioxane. All three “emerging contaminants” have been […]
We all know that it is conscientious and neighborly to clear sidewalks running through your property or in front of your business after a significant snowfall, but there are other important reasons to keep our sidewalks snow and ice-free. 1) Accumulated snow and ice is dangerous; 2) snow blocked sidewalks can results in disabled and […]
It did not get much press, but earlier this month the Trump Administration, through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Health and Human Services, announced the long-awaited Federal Lead Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts. According to EPA, the goals of the “Lead Action […]
If you are a transplant to New York it may come as a surprise to you to learn that real estate transactions involve not only real estate agents, but also attorneys to represent the buyer, seller,and (in some instances) lender. This is because New York law mandates that only attorneys can practice law and specifies […]
As the end of the year approaches, there are a number of planning techniques that individuals can consider implementing before December 31, and after the first of the year, to take advantage of estate and gift tax savings opportunities. Gifts to Individuals Individuals may gift away a certain amount of assets to other individuals […]