There is a new, complimentary service provided by the Nassau County Clerk that will notify you whenever a document is filed with their office with your name on it. To sign up for this new service, click here.

In theme with protecting yourself from fraud, we have another tip to offer you. There are ways to freeze all credit inquiries under your name through the three (3) main credit bureaus. TransUnion, Equifax and Experian all allow you to place a credit freeze for inquiries under your name. Doing this prevents any unauthorized credit inquires about you. Having a credit freeze in place does not affect your credit score. A credit freeze can help guard against identity thieves who use stolen information to apply for new credit. A credit freeze limits prevents unauthorized credit checks, which could prevent new credit cards, lines of credit or loans from being taken out in your name. As such, you’ll need to lift the credit freeze before applying for a new credit line or loan.

You can start a credit freeze online. To do so, you need to provide your name, address, date of birth and SSN. Credit freeze with Equifax. Credit freeze with Experian. Credit freeze with TransUnion.

When it comes to Wills, clients have a lot of questions. And rightfully so, the nuances and laws around Wills can sometimes be confusing . Here’s one question I’ve been asked: “In New York State, do I have to file my will somewhere for it to be recognized?”

The answer: “There is no requirement to file or register your Will in New York state. You ‘may’ file a Will for safekeeping with the Surrogate’s Court in the county where you live. We suggest doing that if you are worried that a family member may destroy your Will because they would get more of an inheritance under the intestacy statute. That statute determines how the heirs of your estate will be, if you do not have a Will. We hold many of our client’s Wills for safekeeping in a fire resistant cabinet in our office. If you are disinheriting family members or you feel more comfortable having your Will filed with the Court than keeping it yourself or keeping it on file with our office, then we can assist you with filing your Will with the Court. For most clients this is not necessary. Rules in other states may vary.