Into the Woods

In Part 2 of their teamwork series, Dave Shaffer and Hannah Cannon discuss estate administration, tax filing requirements, and the importance of working with financial advisors—plus a $21 million lesson about fiduciary duty.

In Part 1 of their teamwork series, Dave Shaffer and Hannah Cannon discuss why estate planning requires collaboration between lawyers, financial advisors, and insurance agents—plus a cautionary case about the cost of failing to coordinate.

In Part 2 of their real estate series, Dave Shaffer and Tom Rickettson discuss trusts and LLCs as tools for avoiding probate, protecting assets, and managing property—plus celebrity examples of creative trust naming for privacy.

In this special video episode filmed at the WOG holiday party, Dave Shaffer and Caroline Cercone preview the top 5 estate planning trends for 2026—including New York estate tax strategies, gifting, asset protection, and digital asset planning.

In Part 1 of their real estate series, Dave Shaffer and Tom Rickettson discuss how property ownership affects estate planning, explain common deed structures, and share lessons from HBO's Succession about the importance of planning ahead.

In this episode, Dave Shaffer and Caroline Cercone discuss the fundamentals of charitable giving, including donor-advised funds, private foundations, and charitable trusts. They share practical planning advice and a cautionary tale about vetting charities before you donate.

In Part 2 of their series on the five-year Medicaid lookback period, attorneys Dave Shaffer and Hannah Mills discuss overlooked transactions that can count as gifts, share lessons from a real fair-hearing case, and offer documentation tips to help families avoid costly Medicaid penalties.

In this episode, attorneys Dave Shaffer and Hannah Mills explore the five-year Medicaid lookback period, explaining how it works, why it matters, and sharing a real fair hearing case about the consequences of making gifts to family members—even with good intentions.

In this episode, attorneys Dave Shaffer and Hannah Cannon explore the critical role of beneficiary designations in estate planning, explaining how these often-overlooked forms can override your will and sharing lessons from a Supreme Court case about the costly consequences of neglecting to update them.

In this episode, attorneys Dave Shaffer, Kelly Gusmano, and Hannah Mills explore asset protection trusts for Medicaid planning, explaining how these irrevocable trusts can protect your home and investments from nursing home costs while preserving your right to live comfortably.