RED BANK, NJ – November 03, 2026 – Families throughout Monmouth County rely on estate planning to protect their assets, provide for loved ones, and ensure their wishes are honored both during life and after death. Monmouth County estate planning attorney Christine Matus of Matus Law Group (https://matuslaw.com/monmouth-county-nj/) is offering guidance on the range of tools available to New Jersey residents, from wills and trusts to special needs planning and Medicaid asset protection strategies tailored to each family’s circumstances.

A comprehensive estate plan does more than distribute property after death, according to Monmouth County estate planning attorney Christine Matus. It protects families during a person’s lifetime, addresses incapacity, and ensures that instructions are followed when someone can no longer speak for themselves. “A complete plan is about making informed decisions that protect the people who matter most,” Matus explains. “Without the right documents, state law and the courts end up making those decisions for the family.”

Monmouth County estate planning attorney Christine Matus notes that a thorough plan generally includes a last will and testament, a durable power of attorney, an advance healthcare directive, beneficiary designations, guardianship nominations for minor children, and, where appropriate, revocable or irrevocable trusts. Under New Jersey law, a formally executed will generally must be signed by the testator and witnessed by at least two individuals, and it is filed with the Monmouth County Surrogate’s Court in Freehold after death, where the surrogate validates the document and appoints the named executor.

Without a will, New Jersey’s intestacy statutes dictate how assets are distributed, which may not reflect an individual’s wishes. In those situations, the Surrogate’s Court appoints an administrator, and a judge determines guardianship of any minor children. Matus emphasizes that unmarried partners and close friends generally do not inherit under intestacy unless they qualify as a surviving civil union or domestic partner or are named in a valid estate plan.

Attorney Matus points out that a revocable living trust is among the most useful planning tools for New Jersey families. “A properly funded trust allows a person to retain full control of assets during life while naming a successor trustee to step in during incapacity or after death,” she says. Unlike a will, which becomes public record when filed with the court, assets titled in a trust generally remain private and pass outside of probate. An irrevocable trust, by contrast, may be used for Medicaid asset protection, federal estate tax planning, or creditor-protection strategies, depending on how it is drafted and funded.

For families caring for a disabled loved one, Matus highlights the importance of special needs planning. A special needs trust allows families to set aside funds for a disabled family member without disqualifying them from means-tested government benefits such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. First-party trusts are funded with the beneficiary’s own assets, while third-party trusts are funded by parents, grandparents, or other relatives and can pay for supplemental needs such as education, recreation, personal care attendants, and specialized equipment. New Jersey families may also consider pooled trusts managed by nonprofit organizations or NJ ABLE accounts as alternatives.

Long-term care costs are another driving concern. Matus observes that nursing home costs in New Jersey commonly exceed twelve thousand dollars per month, and without planning, families may be forced to spend down significant assets to qualify for Medicaid. “The earlier a family begins Medicaid planning, the more options are available,” she advises. A Medicaid asset protection trust, when properly created and funded outside the five-year look-back period, may help preserve a family home, savings, and other assets while meeting eligibility requirements.

The firm also assists with incapacity planning through durable powers of attorney and advance healthcare directives, guardianship matters for minors and disabled adults handled through the Superior Court, Chancery Division in Freehold, and inheritance tax planning. While New Jersey eliminated its separate estate tax for deaths on or after January 1, 2018, it continues to impose an inheritance tax on certain beneficiaries, with siblings, in-laws, and unrelated beneficiaries facing rates of eleven to sixteen percent. Strategic trust and beneficiary planning may help manage that exposure.

Matus and her team guide families through probate as well, a court-supervised process that begins at the Surrogate’s Court in Freehold and typically takes several months to complete. Trust-based planning, jointly owned property, and accounts with named beneficiaries can all reduce court involvement and simplify transfers for loved ones.

For those seeking to create or update an estate plan, consulting a Monmouth County estate planning attorney may help protect assets, minimize taxes, and ensure that personal wishes are carried out. Matus Law Group serves families throughout Monmouth County, Ocean County, and central New Jersey, including Red Bank, Freehold, Middletown, Tinton Falls, Wall Township, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Holmdel, and Toms River.

About Matus Law Group:

Matus Law Group is a Red Bank-based firm focused on estate planning, elder law, special needs planning, and asset protection for New Jersey families. Founded by Christine Matus, Esq., who has more than 30 years of experience and personal insight as a special needs parent, the firm serves clients throughout Monmouth County, Ocean County, and central New Jersey from its office at 125 Half Mile Rd #201A, Red Bank, NJ 07701. For consultations, call (732) 785-4453.

 

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Website: https://matuslaw.com/monmouth-county-nj/

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Company Name: The Matus Law Group
Contact Person: Christine Matus
Email: Send Email
Phone: (732) 785-4453
Address:125 Half Mile Rd Ste 200, Red Bank, NJ 07701
City: Red Bank
State: New Jersey
Country: United States
Website: https://matuslaw.com/monmouth-county-nj/