Black outline of a classical bank or government building icon with columns and a triangular roof.

car insurance

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Donec ullamcorper nulla non metus auctor fringilla.

Protection Designed Around Your Needs

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec sed odio dui. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum.


Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum.

A Stronger Defense Against Risk

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Donec sed odio dui. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Praesent commodo cursus magna.

A Stronger Defense Against Risk

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Donec sed odio dui. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Praesent commodo cursus magna.

A Stronger Defense Against Risk

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Donec sed odio dui. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Praesent commodo cursus magna.

A Stronger Defense Against Risk

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Donec sed odio dui. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet. Praesent commodo cursus magna.

A Stronger Defense Against Risk

  • Does a will avoid probate in New York?

    A will does not avoid probate — it guides the probate process. Your executor uses the will to manage and distribute your estate through the Surrogate's Court. If avoiding probate is a priority, a revocable living trust may be a better fit, and we can discuss both options during your consultation.

  • Can I write my own will in New York?

    New York does not recognize handwritten wills. A valid will must be signed in the presence of at least two witnesses who also sign the document. Errors in execution — even minor ones — can give grounds to contest the will or have it declared invalid. An attorney-drafted will eliminates that risk.

  • How often should I update my will?

    You should review your will after any significant life change — marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a named beneficiary or executor, a major change in assets, or a move across state lines. For most people, a review every three to five years is a reasonable baseline even without a triggering event.

  • What is the difference between an executor and a trustee?

    An executor manages your estate through the probate process — gathering assets, paying debts, and distributing what remains according to your will. A trustee manages assets held in a trust, which may operate for years after your death. Some people name the same person in both roles; others do not. We help you think through who is best suited for each responsibility.

  • Does my will cover everything I own?

    Not necessarily. Assets with named beneficiaries — such as life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and jointly held property — pass outside of your will regardless of what the will says. A complete estate plan accounts for both your will and your beneficiary designations to make sure they work together.

  • Does a trust replace a will in New York?

    Not entirely. Even clients with a revocable living trust typically need a pour-over will to capture any assets that were not transferred into the trust during their lifetime. The two documents work together, not in place of each other.

  • How long does it take to set up a trust?

    For most straightforward revocable trusts, the process takes a few weeks from the initial consultation to the signed document. More complex structures — irrevocable trusts, supplemental needs trusts, or trusts involving business interests or multiple properties — require additional planning time. We will give you a realistic timeline at the outset.

  • Will a revocable trust protect my assets from Medicaid?

    No. Because you retain control of a revocable trust, New York treats those assets as available for Medicaid spend-down purposes. Asset protection from Medicaid requires an irrevocable trust, and it must be established well in advance of any care need due to the five-year look-back period.

  • Can I be my own trustee?

    Yes, in most revocable trust arrangements. You serve as trustee during your lifetime, and a successor trustee you name takes over if you become incapacitated or at your death. Irrevocable trusts have different rules — you generally cannot serve as your own trustee without undermining the protections the trust is designed to provide.

  • What happens to my trust if I get divorced?

    Divorce does not automatically revoke a trust or change its beneficiary designations. If you have gone through a divorce, reviewing and updating your estate plan — including any existing trusts — is an important step that many people delay longer than they should. We can handle that review as part of a broader estate planning conversation.

  • Do I need an attorney to create a power of attorney in New York?

    New York does provide a statutory form that individuals can complete without an attorney. However, the form includes optional provisions and a statutory gifts rider that require careful judgment to use correctly. An improperly completed or executed document may be rejected by financial institutions. Working with an attorney ensures the document reflects your actual intentions and will hold up when it needs to.

  • What is the difference between a power of attorney and a healthcare proxy?

    A power of attorney covers financial and legal decisions — banking, real estate, tax matters, and similar concerns. A healthcare proxy designates someone to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to do so. Both documents are important, and they serve different functions. Most comprehensive estate plans include both.

  • Can I limit what my agent is allowed to do?

    Yes. A power of attorney can be drafted broadly or narrowly depending on your circumstances. You can restrict your agent to specific types of transactions, specific accounts, or a defined time period. We discuss scope of authority with every client before drafting, because the right answer depends on your situation and the person you are naming.

  • What happens if I become incapacitated and do not have a power of attorney?

    Without a valid power of attorney in place, a family member who needs to manage your finances or legal affairs would generally need to petition a court for guardianship. That process takes time, costs money, and places a significant burden on the people closest to you. A properly executed power of attorney avoids it entirely.

  • Can I revoke a power of attorney after I sign it?

    Yes, as long as you have legal capacity at the time of revocation. You can revoke a power of attorney by executing a written revocation and notifying your agent and any institutions that have a copy of the original document. If your circumstances change — a divorce, a change in your relationship with your agent, or a shift in your financial situation — we can help you revoke an existing document and put a new one in place.

  • What is the difference between a healthcare proxy and a living will?

    A healthcare proxy names a person to make medical decisions on your behalf. A living will documents your specific wishes regarding treatment — such as whether you want life-sustaining measures in a terminal situation. New York does not have a formal living will statute, but written statements of your wishes can be attached to your healthcare proxy to guide your agent's decisions.

  • Does my spouse automatically have the right to make medical decisions for me?

    No. In New York, a spouse does not have automatic legal authority to make medical decisions for an incapacitated partner unless they have been named as a healthcare agent in a valid proxy document. Without one, the hospital may follow a default decision-making hierarchy that does not guarantee your spouse will be consulted first.

  • Can I limit what my healthcare agent is allowed to decide?

    Yes. Your healthcare proxy can include specific instructions or limitations on your agent's authority. You might restrict certain types of decisions or provide guidance on particular medical situations. We help clients think through these details so the document reflects their actual wishes rather than leaving everything to the agent's discretion.

  • What happens if I become incapacitated and I do not have a healthcare proxy?

    Without a healthcare proxy, medical providers must follow New York's default rules for surrogate decision-making, which may not align with your wishes. In some cases, family members may need to seek court-appointed guardianship to gain legal authority over your medical care — a process that is time-consuming, expensive, and avoidable.

  • How do I revoke or update a healthcare proxy?

    You can revoke a healthcare proxy at any time, as long as you have the mental capacity to do so. Revocation can be done verbally, in writing, or by signing a new proxy that supersedes the old one. If your circumstances have changed — a divorce, the death of your named agent, or a shift in your wishes — we recommend reviewing the document and executing an updated version.

Built To Help You Stay Secure

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec sed odio dui. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Aenean eu leo quam. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet.


Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Donec sed odio dui. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras justo odio, dapibus ac facilisis in, egestas eget quam. Vestibulum id ligula porta felis euismod semper. Curabitur blandit tempus porttitor. Aenean eu leo quam. Integer posuere erat a ante venenatis dapibus posuere velit aliquet.