To get the best of estate planning, it is crucial to consult an estate planning attorney near you. A local attorney will be most familiar with the laws and estate issues affecting you, and would help you plan accordingly.
An estate planning attorney in Queens can help you plan for the efficient disposal of your estate to your loved ones while minimizing cost and the probate complications of Queens.
Are you looking to hire an estate planning attorney near Queens? Give us a call. Our estate planning attorneys serving Queens County offer comprehensive estate planning services that cover all your needs.
Top reasons why you should hire an estate planning attorney near Queens
1. A Queens estate planning attorney will assess your estate situation to determine how best to help you
It is your estate planning attorney’s duty as your legal professional to address every issue you may face that falls under the estate laws of Queens.
We would typically consider the following:
- You are in a blended family and need assurance that your own kids from the previous marriage get a share in your inheritance when you pass away
- You have a child with special needs
- You have minors (children below 18 cannot inherit under New York laws)
- Incapacity can happen at anytime, and we need to plan for your care and asset management
- Your debts are heavy and would drain your estate significantly if they must be paid
- You have a large estate that’s subject to huge estate taxes
- You wish to shield your assets from liens, nursing home costs, etc, while qualifying for Medicaid
- You have property in multiple states
- You have complexly owned assets and are unsure how they will pass.
2. Ensure your documents are legally valid
It is not enough to make a plan. Your documents must be compliant with state requirements to be valid so that your wishes can be honored. For instance, if your signature cannot be attested to by at least two witnesses, your will may be discarded when the time comes. There are seemingly trivial yet very important laws that apply to different locations, and it is our duty to ensure your documents are compliant with all estate laws applicable in Queens.
3. Plan for incapacity
By establishing a document known as power of attorney, an estate planning attorney Queens can help you appoint a competent agent to manage your affairs when you become unable to manage them yourself. The agent may make financial or healthcare decisions for you as you authorize in the document.
4. Keep up with state laws
Estate laws are ever-changing. For example, the New York estate tax exemption amount changes every year. It becomes important you have a professional up to date with these estate laws to ensure your estate plan remains in line with the laws and your goals.
5. Plan towards tax savings
In NY, if the estimated value of your entire possession (your estate) exceeds $5.93 million at the time of your death, an amount known as estate tax must be paid to the state of New York. But through proper planning, an estate planning attorney Queens can help you prevent this, ensuring your valuable money goes to your loved ones who deserve it.
6. Saving your loved ones the hassles of probate
Probate is a problematic legal process that takes place when someone dies leaving estate. It is typically lengthy, costly, and time-consuming in Queens. But all of that depends on the nature of the estate passing through probate. The higher the value, the more complex probate tends to be. If that’s your case, you wouldn’t want your survivors to go through the stress before they can inherit your property.
Typically, all assets passed via a will will pass through probate. Depending on the complexity of your estate, a good estate planning attorney will suggest handling your valuable assets in a living trust so that those passing through probate will be minimized (if all can’t go through the trust). All assets passed in a trust avoid probate.
Get help from an expert estate planning attorney
Let us help you attain that peace of mind that comes with certainty for the future. Contact our office today to speak with an estate planning attorney near Queens.
