For most people, their estate plan represents the most important set of legal documents they will ever create. Given the significance of your estate plan, care should be taken when selecting an estate planning attorney to assist you in the creation of your plan. The estate planning attorneys and staff at the Augulis Law Firm understand how important your estate plan is to you and to those you love. We are committed to helping our friends and neighbors in the Morris County, New Jersey community create a plan that reflects their estate planning needs and wishes, both now and in the future. We look forward to the opportunity to do the same for you.
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County, New Jersey can be found in the north central portion of the state about 25 miles west of New York City. Covering just over 480 square miles, Morris County had a population of 499,693 as o the 2017 Census estimate. The county is considered part of the New York Metropolitan Area, however, which has a population of over 20 million residents.
Morris County was carved out of the much larger Hunterdon County and was officially created by an Act of the State Legislature on March 15, 1738. The county was named after Colonel Lewis Morris, then Governor of the Province of New Jersey, and also included what are now the counties of Sussex and Warren at the time of creation.
At the time of the Revolutionary War, the county’s strategic location lead to it being known as the Military Capital of the American Revolution. Consequently, Gen. George Washington and his Continental Army spent two winters near Morristown. Following the Revolution, the county became a leader in the iron ore industry thanks to an abundance of iron ore, plenty of nearby timber to fuel the forges, and proximity to swiftly flowing streams to provide power. Machinery for the Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean as well as parts of the first American locomotive were manufactured in Morristown. The town is also where the telegraph was perfected by Samuel F. B. Morse and Alfred Vail. In fact, visitors can still see the old barn in which the first experimental message “A patient waiter is no loser” was sent.
Unfortunately, in 1882, the iron industry in Morris County faced potential ruin when it was discovered that iron ore could almost literally be picked off the surface in the Meabi region near Lake Superior. With improvements in transportation and a growing population, however, other industries that used the iron ore as a raw material thrived. For example, Boonton’s iron processors gained fame from nail production. The 90 mile long Morris Canal, completed in 1831, played a significant role in moving iron ore, coal, and freight across the state. Sadly, the canal was dismantled in the 1920s after years of neglect and disuse.
The turn of the 20th century brought wealthy business and financial leaders from nearby New York City to Morris County in search of tranquility. Not long thereafter, it was said that more millionaires lived within a one mile radius of the Morristown Green than elsewhere in the world. Pictures of the lavish estates can be viewed in the pre-World War I vintage picture book entitled Beautiful Homes of Morris County. Almost all of the mansions that Lined “Millionaires Row” would eventually be demolished during the 1930s and 1940s as a result of rising property taxes, increased cost of living, and the advent of the Income Tax.
Today, the Morris County economy is supported by research, pharmaceuticals and light manufacturing. The New Jersey Transit, the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad, serves thousands of county commuters daily while bus service links the 39 municipalities to the metropolitan region. Visitors and residents alike can also enjoy the numerous museums, historical sites, and cultural facilities found in Morris County.
Augulis Law Firm in the Morris County, New Jersey Community
Estate planning involves much more than just deciding what will happen to your assets when you are gone. A well thought out estate plan should also protect those assets and help them grow while you are alive as well ensure that they continue to provide for your loved ones when you are gone. At the Augulis Law Firm, we are dedicated creating lifelong relationships with our Morris County, New Jersey clients so that we can help you create a plan that accomplishes all your goals.
A successful estate plan requires a solid foundation; however, it also requires nurturing. Consequently, your estate plan is not something you create and forget about once it is in place. Instead, your estate plan is something that will need to be reviewed and updated throughout the course of your life as your estate and your family grows. Initially, your focus may be on nothing more than ensuring you do not leave behind an intestate estate should something happen to you. As such, a Last Will and Testament may be all you need in the beginning. Deciding to marry and/or become a parent, however, will change that as you now have a family to protect and provide for in your plan. At that point, you may decide to create a trust to protect your minor child’s inheritance, for example, as well as incorporate incapacity planning into your overall plan. As you move into middle age, you should begin merging your retirement plans with your estate plan to ensure that the two plans work in harmony with each other. Long before you reach retirement age, however, you should also consider adding Medicaid planning to your estate plan to ensure that you can afford the high cost of long-term care. Funeral planning along with advance directives should also be included in your overall estate plan if you want your wishes to be honored with regard to end of life medical treatment. Our hope at the Augulis Law Firm is that we can be there with you as you pass through the various phases of your life to help ensure that your estate plan protects you, your assets, and your loved ones.
Contact Us
If you have additional questions about New Jersey estate planning, contact the experienced Morris County, New Jersey estate planning lawyers at Augulis Law Firm by calling 908-222-8803 to schedule your appointment today.
