R.C. Shea & Assoc. Inside The Law The Need For Wills In Complicated Situations

By: Marc S. Galella, Esq. of R.C. Shea & Associates

It never ceases to amaze me how people with complicated life situations do not have a Last Will and Testament to make things easier on their families when they pass away.

Case in point, mother and father own a house and reside in the house with their daughter. Daughter has long term medical and psychological issues and cannot live on her own. Parents have one other child, their son, who does not live with his parents. Mother and father both die without preparing Wills. According to daughter, it was the parents’ intention that when both parents passed away the daughter would have the right to live in the house for the rest of her life.

Of course, her brother, the other surviving heir, claims not to be aware of their parents’ intentions and expects the house to be sold so he can receive his share of the estate. Daughter is now upset over the fact that she will have to vacate the house and use her proceeds from the sale of the house to find another place to live.

So now brother and sister are at odds with each other. Sister believing, she should have the right to live in the house for the rest of her life and brother looking for his share of the parents’ estate.

All this could’ve been avoided had the parents prepared Wills that would have stated their intentions as to the house. When a person passes away without a Will, the estate must be distributed pursuant to the New Jersey laws of intestacy which are a series of laws that specify how assets are to be distributed if there is no Will. In this case, the brother and sister would each have inherited one-half of the estate upon the death of the second parent to pass away. Without a Will that could have shown what the parents real intentions were, legally brother has the right to demand that the house be sold so he can receive his onehalf interest in the estate. Had the parents made Wills, they could have stated their intentions as to how the house was to be handled. They could have left the house to the daughter; they could have left the house equally to the two children with the daughter having the right to reside in the house; or they could have left the estate equally to the two children and the daughter would have to find another place to live after the house was sold.

The moral of this story is that everyone should have a Will. More importantly, you should have Will especially where you have a complicated situation such as the intention to leave the house to one child. Contact R.C. Shea & Associates for all your Estate Planning needs.

Info Sessions Scheduled For New Dementia Friendly Fitness Classes

TOMS RIVER – Francine Pannella, LPN, owner of Dementia Living Solutions has announced the scheduling of two Information sessions to share details about “Movement Music & Memories”, a new community-based fitness and enrichment program designed for people living at home with dementia and their care partners.

The information sessions are free and will be held on March 23 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and on March 25 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the day care center space at Visiting Homecare Service of Ocean County building located at 105 Sunset Avenue Toms River. They ask attendees to use rear parking lot and far left entrance.

Details about the classes, literature, refreshments, and resources will be offered during the sessions. Classes will be offered 2 afternoons per week and Saturday morn-

DeGraFF CremaTIon SerVICeS

Direct

Arrangements Available In Your Home, Removal From Place Of Death, Alternative Container, Wood #ODZ, Transfer To Crematory

Located at: DeGraff Lakehurst Funeral Home 119 Union Avenue, Lakehurst 732-657-7868 www.DeGraFFFuneralHome.Com ings starting in April.

Movement Music & Memories, created in 2011 is a one-hour session of focused movement to carefully chosen music that provides fun and interactive physical and cognitive stimulation using theme based multi-sensory activities, singing, reminiscence and games designed to spark connection to self. Safe, carefully designed movement improves overall fitness by increasing circulation, range of motion and flexibility. Strict adherence to internationally recognized dementia best practices.

The goal? To share the benefits of music driven movement, human connection, stimulate body and brain and provide a fun and joyful experience for all.

For more information visit dementialivingsolutions.com or email fran@dementialivingsolutions.com.

Essays:

Avery Herch, Emily Modica, Juliana Sclafani and Rosanna Pacheco.

They were lauded at a recent Township Council meeting with Superintendent purchased and added to the rolls of open space preservation and/or recreational opportunities by using the town’s open space funds. several members to the Township Emergency Services Advisory Board. Dennis Lafer, Robert Curtis, Yoel Tesser, Joseph Lamonica and Brian McCarron were each approved.

“Those certificates are on behalf of everyone you see in the town as well as myself. We are very proud of what you have done and what you have done in the community. I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize Colin Lewis who inspired everybody to get this done,” Mayor Reina said.

Nicole Pormilli, Director of Curriculum

Theresa Licitra, District Elementary Supervisor of Literacy Dr. Lisa Lane and Howard Johnson School Principal Renee Pagano.

“The essays were highly inspiring and really projected the wonderful life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and what he stood for,” Lane said.

“Congratulations, you did a very good job and hopefully you will bring more honors to your classes,” Council President Martin Flemming said as he presented certificates from Mayor Michael Reina to each of the winners prior to a group photo.

Members of the Council each congratulated the students for their work on the essays and those involved with creating the essay contest.

Open Space Committee Formed

During the evening the Council approved an ordinance to form an Open Space Committee. This committee required further discussion as members of council had requested more say as to the selection of members of this citizens committee.

The purpose of this nine-member board that will meet monthly, is to identify suitable properties in Jackson that could be

Members will be appointed on a yearly basis and will include one member of the Township Council that will be appointed by the Council, one member of the township administration to be appointed by Mayor Reina, the mayor or a mayor’s representative and six citizens of Jackson that will be appointed by the mayor.

Councilman Nino Borrelli who initially drafted the ordinance said he was pleased to see it move forward. The ordinance was passed unanimously.

“I am excited to be a part of bringing this committee to the residents of Jackson,” Councilwoman Jennifer Kuhn said.

Emergency Services Advisory Board

Also approved was the appointment of

Police Vehicles Purchased

The Council also approved a resolution to purchase seven police interceptor vehicles at a cost of $291,081 from Nielsen Ford of Morristown Inc.

Councilman Scott Sargent asked about the interceptors. “It doesn’t say what they are. Are they Explorers?”

“We are continuing to purchase Explorers because that is basically what we needed especially in inclement weather,” Mayor Reina explained.

Talking Trash

Continued From Page 1 (Essays - See Page 20)

Councilman Sargent noted “I’ve been