We believe your plan should be as unique as you are. Your desires and values should be reflected in your legal plans – when you are not able to act on your behalf or after your death. Because you know your family better than anyone, you also have a good idea as to how each person will react to potential new responsibilities and the assets you have worked hard to earn.
Our dedicated attorneys have decades of experience providing estate plans for our clients. Almost everyone could benefit from a properly designed estate plan. A Manhattan estate planning lawyer is here to help create the best one for you.
Through our decades of experience and continued education in tax and estate planning, our seasoned Manhattan attorneys are ready to tackle the challenges your estate brings. We’ll do so guided by your desires and accompanied by our insight.
While we normally meet in person, during the COVID-19 period, we meet with you by Zoom video conference call or by phone. Let’s start the process today.
The documents we customize for each client plan for the assets and health of our client. First, we make certain if you cannot make your health decisions or financial decisions prior to your death, you have a durable power of attorney in place. By doing so you will avoid a guardianship or conservatorship proceeding. We understand the concern you may feel in selecting guardians for your children and lawyers to make your decisions. Our knowledgeable estate planning lawyers in Manhattan walk you through these decisions as well as those you can make in advance through a living will for health decisions and a will or trust for your assets.
Next, we craft your will to name an executor should you need someone to represent your interests in court after your death in order to transfer the assets you own to beneficiaries. Your estate plan may also include a Revocable Trust, which can be amended at any time until your death. This document states your wishes for the plan of distribution of your assets when you are living and acting as the trustee when you can no longer make your decisions following your death. Because the terms of a revocable trust can provide asset protection for your beneficiaries, we believe the revocable trust is one of the best gifts you will give your loved ones.
The revocable trust may have provisions for the special needs of a loved one, for charity, for pets, and for the timing of distributions. It often provides if a beneficiary does not want land, the other beneficiaries may buy the inherited share at a formula price providing cash to the other beneficiary. The trust is the most customized document we draft. We are often asked about Irrevocable Trusts to protect assets or avoid estate tax, succession farming or business entities, promissory notes between family members, and gifting strategies.
In addition to everything listed previously, we also offer the following services to help with your estate planning needs:
Our estate planning worksheet will ask questions to help guide your preparation for our meeting. In our first conference, we’ll talk through your plan. We will then send you drafts of the documents for you to review and change. Finally, we’ll meet again to finalize. A Manhattan estate planning lawyer is available for remote consultations at any time.
