We have vast experience in all aspects of Estate Planning and are here to help you craft a plan that suits your unique needs.

“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

Do you need an Estate Plan? Simply put, the answer to that question is “No,” but wouldn’t you like to be in control of your assets and name someone you trust to care for you should you become incapacitated? If you fail to create a plan, NYS has statutes that govern how your assets will be distributed upon your death and that will allow the Court to name a guardian for you if you become incapacitated. Creating an Estate Plan will give you peace of mind, control over the distribution of your hard-earned assets, and will ease the process of estate administration for your loved ones.

An Estate Plan is more than “just” a Will or Trust. A proper estate plan directs who will manage and distribute your assets and to whom, specifies who will care of your minor children, and plans for your possible incapacity, among other things. An Estate Plan can be as comprehensive or “low key” as your needs dictate. Every client is unique, and we spend time with our clients to understand their individual concerns and answer their questions to ensure that the eventual Estate Plan reflects their needs and wishes. 

Estate Plans are valuable tools regardless of the size of your estate. With a proper estate plan in place, you will be able to name a Guardian for your children and provide assets and instruction for their care. Estate plans can help ward off family friction and disputes (which happens all too often, even among the closest of families) — families tend to be more accepting of asset distribution when they know that such distributions reflect your wishes. You will be able to choose an Executor or Trustee that you know can manage the work involved in administering your Estate. You will be able to consider the long-term and short-term needs of your various beneficiaries: how soon will they need access to your assets? In what amounts? Are there any items of personal significance that you want to ensure go to the “right” beneficiary? What happens if you become incapacitated or have diminished capacity? Why leave any of this to chance?

You’ve probably heard horror stories about probating a Will - but many of those stem from poor planning; the process is usually quite smooth and orderly. That said, some people prefer to place their assets in a Trust for a variety of reasons, including privacy, medical care planning, short-term family needs, continuation of a business, and to protect assets from creditors. A properly planned estate directs your family, provides certainty, and allows you to manage the assets you’ve worked so hard to accumulate.