New York Estate Planning Attorneys for Families Who Want to Get It Right
Estate Planning Attorneys — New York
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care proxies — designed for your family's real situation. Whether you need a straightforward will or a comprehensive trust strategy, LGK Lawyers helps New York families protect what they've built and plan for what's ahead.
40+ Years Experience
NYC & Saratoga Springs Offices
Free Initial Consultation
Wills, Trusts & Powers of Attorney
Reviewed by Kent Gross, Esq. — 40+ years handling estate planning matters in New York.
What Is Estate Planning in New York?
Estate planning is the process of creating legal documents that protect your family, your assets, and your wishes — both during your lifetime and after. A comprehensive estate plan ensures that the people you trust are empowered to act on your behalf, your assets go where you want them to, and your family avoids unnecessary court proceedings, tax exposure, and conflict.
In New York, estate planning carries particular weight. The state has its own estate tax separate from federal, probate proceedings can be lengthy and expensive, and co-ops and real property present unique titling challenges. A power of attorney form that was valid before 2021 may no longer be accepted by banks and financial institutions under New York's updated law. Working with an estate planning attorney in New York who understands these state-specific rules is the difference between a plan that works and one that doesn't.
For families with aging parents, New York estate planning also means incapacity planning — making sure that if a parent can no longer manage their own affairs, someone they trust has the legal authority to step in without a court proceeding.
Without an estate plan in New York, the state's default rules decide who inherits your assets, who manages your estate, and potentially who raises your children. Those defaults rarely match what most families would choose.
The Estate Planning Documents Every New Yorker Needs
A comprehensive New York estate plan typically includes six core documents. Each serves a different purpose — and together, they cover the major decisions your family would otherwise face without legal guidance.
Last Will and Testament
Directs who receives your assets after death, names an Executor to administer the estate, and designates a guardian for minor children. Without a will, New York's intestacy laws make these decisions for you.
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Revocable Living Trust
Allows designated assets to pass to beneficiaries without going through probate — maintaining privacy, reducing delays, and enabling seamless management if you become incapacitated. Particularly valuable for families with real property in multiple states.
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Durable Power of Attorney
A power of attorney in New York authorizes a trusted person to manage your financial affairs if you cannot. New York updated its Power of Attorney law in 2021 — older forms may no longer be accepted by banks and financial institutions. Having a current, compliant power of attorney is one of the most important steps in any New York estate plan.
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Health Care Proxy
A health care proxy in New York designates someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you cannot communicate your wishes. This is one of the most important documents a person can have — and one of the most overlooked.
Living Will / Advance Directive
Documents your wishes regarding end-of-life care, including whether you want life-sustaining treatment under certain circumstances. Works alongside your Health Care Proxy.
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HIPAA Authorization
Allows designated people to receive your medical information from healthcare providers. Without this, HIPAA privacy rules can prevent your family from accessing critical health information.
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Ready to Protect Your Family's Future?
NYC: (347) 919-6050 | Saratoga: (518) 558-4495
20-minute call. No obligation.
When Families Turn to Estate Planning
Life Change
Marriage, Children, or Divorce
A new marriage, the birth of a child, or a divorce changes everything about who should inherit your assets, who should make decisions if you can't, and who should raise your children. Estate plans need to reflect your current reality.
Asset Protection
Real Estate, Business, or Inheritance
Significant assets — a family home, a business, an inheritance, investment accounts — need proper structuring to minimize tax exposure and ensure they transfer to the right people efficiently.
Aging Parents
Protecting a Parent's Future
An aging parent without a power of attorney or health care proxy is one medical emergency away from a court-supervised guardianship proceeding. Estate planning now can prevent that entirely.
Prevention
Avoiding Probate and Family Conflict
Probate in New York is time-consuming and public. A properly structured estate plan keeps your family out of court and prevents disputes over who gets what.
The Estate Planning Process at LGK Lawyers
Estate planning is not a single document — it's a conversation about your family's real situation, followed by a strategy designed specifically for you.
Initial Consultation
We start by understanding your complete picture — your family, your assets, your concerns, and your goals. This conversation is free and confidential.
1
Strategy and Recommendations
Based on your situation, we recommend a specific set of documents and strategies — explaining what each one does and why it matters for your family. No unnecessary documents, no one-size-fits-all packages.
2
Drafting Your Documents
We prepare your documents — will, trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxy, and any additional instruments your plan requires. You review everything before signing.
3
Signing and Execution
New York has specific execution requirements for wills and other estate documents. We handle the signing ceremony with proper witnesses and notarization to ensure everything is legally valid.
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Funding and Implementation
If your plan includes a trust, we help you transfer assets into it — a step many people overlook. An unfunded trust provides no protection. We also help coordinate beneficiary designations across your financial accounts.
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Ongoing Review
Life changes. Laws change. We recommend reviewing your estate plan every three to five years or whenever a major life event occurs — marriage, divorce, birth of a child, significant financial change, or a move.
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Where We Help Families Plan
New York City & Downstate
LGK Lawyers provides estate planning services throughout New York City and the surrounding counties — Manhattan (New York County), Brooklyn (Kings County), Queens, Bronx, Staten Island (Richmond County), Westchester County, Nassau & Suffolk Counties. Our NYC estate planning attorneys work with families on wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and comprehensive estate strategies.
Saratoga Springs & Upstate
From our Saratoga Springs office, LGK Lawyers helps Capital Region families create estate plans that reflect their real circumstances — Saratoga County, Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, Warren County, Washington County.
Wills vs. Trusts in New York
One of the most common questions we hear from families is whether they need a will, a trust, or both. Most well-designed estate plans use both — they serve different purposes and work together. A trust attorney in New York can help determine which combination is right for your situation.
Will
Goes through probate (public court process)
Only takes effect after death
Names a guardian for minor children
Covers only assets in your name alone
Becomes public record in Surrogate's Court
Revocable Living Trust
Avoids probate entirely — private transfer
Operates during your lifetime & after death
Cannot name guardian (need a will for this)
Covers only assets transferred into the trust
Remains private — never filed with a court
For families with real estate in multiple states, a trust is particularly valuable — without one, each state requires its own probate proceeding (called ancillary probate). A trust funded with out-of-state property avoids this entirely.
New York also has a state estate tax with a significant "cliff" — if your estate exceeds the New York estate tax exemption (currently approximately $7.16 million) by more than 105%, you pay tax on the entire estate, not just the excess. This New York estate tax cliff makes proper planning critical for families with estates anywhere near the threshold. Trust strategies can help address this exposure.
What Does Estate Planning Cost in New York?
A basic estate plan — will, durable power of attorney, and health care proxy — typically costs between $1,500 and $3,500 for an individual in New York City, and $2,500 to $6,000 for a couple. Plans involving revocable or irrevocable trusts, tax planning strategies, or business succession planning cost more, depending on complexity.
In the Capital Region, rates are generally lower than New York City for comparable work. LGK Lawyers provides clear fee information at the initial consultation so families know what to expect before committing.
Fee Disclaimer:
Fees vary based on the complexity of the estate and the documents required. The ranges stated are estimates and do not constitute a fee agreement. Contact LGK Lawyers for a specific assessment.FEATURED
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Estate Planning FAQ
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A basic plan (will, power of attorney, health care proxy) typically costs between $1,500 and $3,500 for an individual in NYC. Plans with trusts and tax planning strategies cost more. LGK Lawyers provides transparent fee information during your free consultation.
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A will is the foundation of any estate plan, but a trust adds privacy and avoids probate. If you own real estate in multiple states, have minor children, or want to keep your estate out of public court records, a revocable living trust is worth considering.
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New York updated its Power of Attorney law in 2021. While older POAs aren't automatically invalid, many banks and financial institutions may refuse to honor forms that don't meet the current statutory requirements. Having your POA reviewed or updated is strongly recommended.
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New York's intestacy laws determine who inherits. If you're married with children, your spouse receives $50,000 plus half the estate — the rest goes to your children. There's no guardian designation for minor children, and the court chooses who administers your estate.
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Review your plan every three to five years, or whenever a major life event occurs — marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a beneficiary, significant financial change, or a move to or from New York State.
Talk to an Estate Planning Attorney Today
LGK Lawyers offers free consultations for New York families ready to protect what matters most.
NYC: (347) 919-6050 | Saratoga: (518) 558-4495
20-minute call. No obligation.
About LGK Lawyers
LGK Lawyers provides estate planning, guardianship, and elder law services from offices in New York City and Saratoga Springs. The firm's attorneys have decades of combined experience helping New York families protect their assets and plan for the future. Learn more about our attorneys and practice areas.