Yonkers & Westchester County Wills and Estate Administration Attorneys Help Families with End-of-Life Decisions

Having a plan in place lowers the chances of a legal battle erupting between your loved ones

Thinking about one’s death is an uncomfortable topic, one that many avoid altogether. Many individuals believe that they have plenty of time to make decisions about one’s estate and division of assets. However, life is unpredictable, and when a loved one dies without a will in place, surviving family members may find themselves in a heated legal battle. To avoid such a situation, it is important to make sure your wishes are clearly laid out in an enforceable document. At Ball & Ferrari, P.C., our compassionate estate planning attorneys have more than three decades of experience working with individuals and families establishing sound end-of-life plans.

What is estate planning?

An individual’s end-of-life wishes are as unique as the individual. Family relationships, property holdings, and a number of other factors impact how an individual wants an estate distributed.

If you do not have a will in place, when you die, the state of New York decides how your property is administered to surviving family members. Therefore, to maintain control over your estate, it is important to have a valid will in place.

Our estate planning attorneys assist with the numerous options you have when planning the administration of your estates. We provide reliable guidance on tax consequences and the various types of property transfers, for example. Should you put property in a trust, or should it pass through your estate? There are advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios that we carefully outline. With our expertise, your wishes are carried out as smoothly as possible.

Do I really need an attorney to draft a will?

Many individuals believe they may simply type up a last will and testament and leave it in a safety deposit box or file cabinet for family members to refer to. However, this is not always the case. A last will and testament must be valid under New York law for it to be enforceable. If it is not valid, the courts may decide how an estate is administered.

Our New York wills and estate administration attorneys ensure the terms of your will are valid and enforceable. Our attorneys carefully review your wishes with you and draft your estate planning documents to mirror those wishes.

What other documents may be drafted to ensure my wishes are carried out?

In addition to a will, other types of instruments we may draft for you include:

Power of attorney: This document provides someone of your choosing with the right to make legal decisions, or medical decisions, if a healthcare power of attorney is created, on your behalf.
Living wills: A living will outlines your wishes for medical treatment and other medical decisions when you are no longer able to do so. For example, whether you want to be resuscitated is commonly included in these documents.
Trusts: In a trust, property is transferred to a trustee, who administers it to beneficiaries. There are several types of trusts to choose from, depending on the goals of the property owner.

No matter what your goals may be for your surviving loved ones, our estate planning attorneys help you design the optimum financial strategy and craft the documents you need.

Contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled New York estate planning attorneys