Welcome to Harvey F. Friedman, Attorney at Law
HARVEY F. FRIEDMAN, in addition to being admitted to practice in New York and the US District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, is admitted to practice before the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC. He was sworn in before Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan.
What Makes Us Different
Years of experience and knowledge for effective and innovative solutions.
NEWS OF INTEREST
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Dear Clients, Friends, and Family:
With the New Year 2026, I hope you and your families are well.
My Great Neck office location is open by appointment only as I will continue to be working primarily remotely to continue to serve my clients and the community. My contact info is listed below. Please feel free to reach out to me by telephone or email.
If you would like to schedule a consultation, please contact me during business hours. Consultations will be conducted primarily by telephone or through video apps like Zoom, Skype or Facetime.
Having your important documents in place, such as a Will, Durable Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, etc. is extremely important. Please feel free to call me with just questions or to set up an appointment. (If you get my voicemail, please leave a message and I will return your call).
If you have questions or need information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Stay safe and healthy.
NEW LAWS-With every new year there are generally new laws taking effect in New York State. 2026 is no exception to that rule. Below are some laws that took effect beginning in 2026.
Minimum wage goes up
New Yorkers earning minimum wage will earn an additional $0.50 per hour starting on January 1, 2026.
New York’s minimum wage will increase to $17.00-per-hour in New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, and $16.00-per-hour for the rest of the state.
Significant Increases to Traffic Violation Point Values
Beginning February 16, 2026, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is implementing significant increases to traffic violation point values and stricter license suspension rules. These changes aim to enhance road safety by targeting high-risk, dangerous driving behaviors.
Key changes in the 2026 NYS Point System overhaul include:
Major Point Increases (Effective Feb 16, 2026)
- Serious Violations: Alcohol/drug incidents and aggravated unlicensed operation increase to 11 points.
- Safety Violations: Passing a stopped school bus (8 points), speeding in construction zones (8 points), and failure to exercise due care (5 points) all see increases.
- Other Increases: Over-height vehicle/bridge strikes (8 points), leaving the scene of an injury crash (5 points), speed contests (5 points), and cell phone use (6 points) are adjusted upward.
- Speeding: 1–10 mph over the limit rises to 4 points.
Stricter Suspension Rules
- Lower Threshold: Drivers can face suspension for accumulating 10 points within 24 months.
- Extended Review: The "look-back" period for identifying persistent violators is extended to 24 months, up from 18 months.
New Point-Carrying Violations
Several infractions now carry points, including equipment violations (1 point), illegal U-turns (2 points), obstructing traffic (2 points), and failure to move over for emergency vehicles (3 points).
These, alongside the existing Driver Responsibility Assessment fee (6+ points in 18 months), aim to hold repeat offenders accountable.***************
IRS ANNOUNCES ANNUAL INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS FOR 2026-
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RISING NURSING HOME COSTS-"LOOKBACK"-2026- UPDATE-
New York's 2026 estimates of nursing-home costs show that Nassau and Suffolk, at $15,193 a month (New York City is $15,282 per month). Both the LI and NYC estimates are up from last year. The amount is important for those looking to qualify for nursing-home care paid for by Medicaid, but who face an ineligibility period under the "lookback" rule. The rule examines whether the Medicaid applicant, in the five years before applying for Medicaid, gave away monetary gifts or transferred property to make his or her assets small enough to qualify for coverage. (Transfers to a spouse are exempt.) The ineligibility period is calculated by dividing the value of the transferred assets into the monthly cost of nursing-home care. So if someone transferred assets worth $50,000 during the five-year lookback, he or she would be ineligible for Medicaid-paid nursing-home coverage for about four months, meaning the patient or the family of the patient would be responsible for paying the costs until Medicaid kicks in. For more information, click on the Contact Us link above, call or email for an appointment.
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MEDICAID HOME EQUITY LIMIT AT $1,130,000 FOR 2026-
For Medicaid eligibility purposes in 2026, the Home Equity Limit elected by New York State is now $1,130,000. For those individuals seeking Medicaid, if your home equity interest does not exceed $1,130,000, you can still be eligible. You can click on the Contact Us link above, call or email for an appointment.
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Disclaimer
This website is attorney advertising designed to provide general information about this firm and services available. The information contained within this website is neither intended as legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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