Estate Planning Lawyer
Serving all of Connecticut, New York State & New York City
Custom Estate Plans
Your Estate Plan is a very personal matter. It is an opportunity to plan your legacy: to speak for yourself, one last time, after your death.
- Who will handle the financial affairs and probate when you pass away?
- Who will make sure your family and close friends are provided for?
- Who will take care of your children?
- What will happen to your remains?
- Who will care for your pets?
- What will happen to your firearms?
These and many more are all of the questions that you can answer in your estate documents, Last Will and Testament, or provide for in your Trust.
You can also plan for who will make decisions on your behalf in case of your incapacity.
Estate Plans can be complicated or relatively simple. Like the clients we serve, no two estate plans are alike.
Estate plans vary from simple powers of attorney and directives allowing certain individuals to carry on your affairs in case of death or incapacity, to relatively basic wills that provide for last wishes and distribute remaining assets, to complex trust agreements that can allow you to do just about anything with your assets.
For individuals and families with relatively few assets and relatively low risk of sudden life changing circumstances, a Will based plan may suffice. Will based plans also include any “ancillary” documents such as a health care directive (“living will”), financial power of attorney, medical power of attorney, HIPAA authorizations, and child protection plan. Will Based plans are:
If you are the type of person that does not want the details of your estate to become a public record, you might consider the option of setting up a trust to transfer your property upon death (or sooner). Unlike a will, a trust is a private document that will not be filed with the probate court. Depending on the complexity of your situation, the value of your estate, and what you are looking to accomplish, there are different types of trusts available to accomplish your goals.
What is the estate planning process?
- Introductory Consultation meeting – the introductory meeting is for me to get to know you and your family dynamic, and get an understanding of your assets and your goals for those assets. I will need to ask personal questions some people might consider to be private; be prepared for that, with the understanding that all conversations remain confidential. I will make a general recommendation for the type of estate plan you need and you will be able to ask me any questions you might about estate planning or the estate planning process. All Introductory Consultations are free of charge.
- Engagement Letter – After our introductory meeting, I will send over an engagement letter outline my services and fees for the type of estate plan I recommend for your situation. This is you officially hiring me. If you decide not to hire me, all communications remain confidential.
- Estate Plan Review – We will review your estate planning documents and if you want any revisions, we can discuss them and make any you decide you still want.
- Estate Plan Execution – Estate planning documents vary in their requirements for legally binding execution. We can accomplish all of this at my office and get everything signed correctly, witness, acknowledged, and so forth.
- Delivery – My office will put your estate plan into an easy to store and access binder for your convenience. Once ready, this can be picked up or delivered to you via FedEx.