Estate Planning Attorney In New York
Last updated on November 12, 2025
At NY Elder Law Group, our team is ready to assist you in creating a will and trust, avoiding probate, determining your estate taxes, and making sure that you have a power of attorney and healthcare proxy in place. It is important to plan your estate, no matter how old you are, so that your wishes can be fulfilled in the event of your incapacitation or death.
What Is Included In An Estate Plan?
When creating an estate plan, you will want to include the following:
- Last will and testament: As a younger person, you might not think you need a will yet, but as much as we do not want to think about our own incapacitation, it is important that you have a will no matter how old you are. We encourage anyone over the age of 18 to do a will to ensure that their wishes are respected in the event of their death.
- Trust: In New York, several types of trusts are available to help you protect and manage your assets and provide for your loved ones at the time of your death. At NY Elder Law Group, we will help you choose the trust that works best for you and your needs.
- Durable power of attorney: In this document, you will appoint a person to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated or unable to make decisions for yourself. This is a crucial part of estate planning and should be taken seriously.
- Health care proxy: Like a power of attorney, an agent appointed under your health care proxy will be the one making decisions for you in the event of your incapacitation. As the name suggests, this person will make medical decisions for you if you cannot.
- Living will: Not to be confused with a last will and testament, a living will is a legal document that specifies your wishes for end-of-life care, including whether or not you want life-sustaining treatments to be used if you are in a terminal condition.
- Beneficiary designation: Assets like retirement accounts and life insurance policies allow you to name a beneficiary. You should update and review your designations regularly to ensure that your assets will be distributed according to your wishes when the time comes and they will not require a probate proceeding.
What Are The Benefits Of Hiring An Estate Planning Attorney?
While there are a lot of resources available to you on the web that suggest that you can make these documents yourself, you have no idea of this documents will work for your family when the time comes that they are needed. Our experience has been that they very often do not. An estate planning attorney has the experience you need to properly curate your documents and ensure that your estate is protected in the event of your incapacitation or death.
An estate planning attorney will help you with the following:
- Experience and guidance: Hiring an experienced estate planning attorney can help customize your estate planning documents to your needs and make sure that your plan works in the event of your incapacitation or death. Our attorneys have the experience needed to create your plans and still adhere to the ever-changing rules of estate planning in New York.
- Customized estate planning: NY Elder Law Group will provide you with a customized estate plan tailored to your needs and goals. We will help you identify the best options for protecting your assets, reducing taxes, and transferring your property to your loved ones.
- Avoid probate: Without an estate plan, your family could face probate after your death. Probate can take years and can inhibit your family from getting the assets needed to pay for your end-of-life care, funeral expenses, or paying your debts.
- Peace of mind: Knowing that you have a solid estate plan in place can provide peace of mind for you and your family, especially in times of uncertainty.
Contact An Estate Planning Attorney Today
If you are trying to plan your or your loved one’s estate but do not know where to start, NY Elder Law Group can help. Our experienced legal professionals have the knowledge it takes to craft estate planning documents to put you and your family at ease. Contact us today for a consultation to start planning your estate.
Estate Planning FAQ
Do I need a lot of assets to plan my estate?
You do not necessarily need to have a lot of assets to plan your estate. Estate planning is important for anyone who wants to ensure that their property and assets are managed and distributed according to their wishes after passing. Even if you have few assets, estate planning can help you address important issues such as guardianship of minor children, medical directives, and end-of-life decisions.
Can I have more than one power of attorney?
Yes, you can have more than one power of attorney. Having multiple powers of attorney can be a good idea to ensure that your affairs are correctly managed if one person is unavailable or unable to fulfill their duties. You can appoint multiple individuals as co-agents or name different agents to handle different aspects of your affairs, such as financial and healthcare matters.
Can I change my health care proxy?
Yes, you can change your health care proxy at any time. It’s important to review and update your health care proxy regularly to ensure your wishes are accurately represented. You can change your health care proxy by creating a new document that revokes the old one or creating a new document that specifically amends or replaces the old one. It’s important to discuss any changes with your health care proxy and providers, to ensure that they understand and can carry out your wishes.