At Polizzotto & Polizzotto, we help you put clear legal instructions in place for your property, family, finances, and health care. Our family-owned firm was founded in Brooklyn in 1962, and we have served New York families for more than 60 years across three generations.
Working with a Long Island estate planning lawyer gives you an opportunity to decide who will receive your property, who may act for you if you become unable to make decisions, and how your family should carry out your wishes. We prepare plans for individuals, parents, older adults, property owners, and business owners.
Contact Polizzotto & Polizzotto to schedule a consultation to create or update your estate plan with a Long Island elder law lawyer today.
What Does a Long Island Estate Planning Attorney Do?
An estate plan is a coordinated set of documents and asset-transfer arrangements. We begin by reviewing your family relationships, property, beneficiary designations, and long-term goals. We then explain the available options in direct terms so you can make informed choices.
Depending on your circumstances, our estate planning services may include:
- Drafting a last will and testament.
- Creating and funding revocable or irrevocable trusts.
- Preparing a New York power of attorney.
- Preparing a health care proxy and living will.
- Planning for minor children or a beneficiary who needs continued financial oversight.
- Reviewing deeds, account ownership, and beneficiary designations for consistency with your plan.
- Updating existing documents after personal or financial changes.
Our Long Island estate planning attorneys do not recommend extra documents simply to generate fees. Our evaluations are honest and transparent, including when a simpler plan will meet your needs.
Don't wait to protect your future, schedule a consultation today and get the experienced legal guidance you need to move forward with confidence.
CALL NOW TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION 718-232-1250Do I Need a Will or a Trust in New York?
A will directs the distribution of assets that pass through your probate estate. It can name an executor and nominate a guardian for your minor children, although the Surrogate’s Court retains authority over the appointment. A will does not control every asset. Jointly owned property and accounts with valid beneficiary designations may pass outside the will.
A trust may serve a different purpose. A properly funded revocable trust can transfer assets outside probate, provide for management during incapacity, and set terms for later distributions. Irrevocable trusts may support other planning goals, but they also require you to give up certain rights or control.
Our legal team can explain those tradeoffs before you make a decision.
Choosing the Right Plan for Your Family
You may need a will, a trust, or both. A Long Island estate planning attorney can assess how each document would affect your property and the people you intend to protect. Our recommendations are based on your actual circumstances, not a standard package.
How Can an Estate Plan Address Incapacity?
Estate planning also governs who may act for you during your lifetime. These documents serve separate functions:
- A power of attorney authorizes an agent to handle the financial transactions you select, which may include banking, bills, taxes, insurance, and real estate.
- A health care proxy appoints an agent to make health care decisions after you are determined to lack decision-making capacity.
- A living will records your wishes about medical treatment if you cannot communicate them yourself.
New York imposes signing and witnessing requirements for powers of attorney and health care proxies. We prepare these documents carefully and help you choose agents who understand their responsibilities.
Your case deserves a law firm that puts your needs first, not its bottom line. Schedule a consultation and let us provide the results you need.
CALL NOW TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION 718-232-1250What Happens If You Die Without a Will in New York?
When a New York resident dies without a valid will, state intestacy law determines who receives property in the probate estate. The result may differ from what the person wanted, particularly for unmarried partners, blended families, or relatives with unequal needs.
The Surrogate’s Court may appoint an administrator to collect estate assets, address valid debts and expenses, and distribute the remaining property under New York law. A valid estate plan lets you make many of these choices yourself rather than leaving them to default rules.
Estate Planning for Children and Other Beneficiaries
Direct inheritance is not always the best arrangement. Trust provisions can establish when and how a beneficiary receives funds, appoint a trustee to manage property, and state how funds may be used for health, education, maintenance, or support.
We can help you plan for:
- Minor children who cannot manage inherited property themselves.
- A family member with a disability whose benefits may need to be considered.
- A beneficiary who may need financial oversight.
- Children from a prior relationship.
- Unequal gifts that should be explained and documented clearly.
Our estate planning lawyers serving Long Island focus on workable instructions that reduce uncertainty while respecting your values and family relationships.
We are committed to investing our energy in long-lasting, fruitful relationships. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
CALL NOW TO SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION 718-232-1250
Estate Planning for Long Island Homeowners and Business Owners
Your home, rental property, or closely held business may require specific planning. The ownership shown on a deed, business agreement, or account can affect whether an asset passes under a will, through a trust, by contract, or through another form of ownership.
For business owners, we may address management succession, transfers of ownership interests, and coordination with operating or shareholder agreements. For real estate owners, we review how title fits with the broader plan. This practical coordination can prevent conflicting instructions and unnecessary expense.
When Should You Update Your Estate Plan?
Review your documents when your family, assets, health, or chosen decision-makers change. Common reasons for an update include:
- Marriage, divorce, or remarriage.
- The birth or adoption of a child.
- The death or incapacity of an executor, trustee, agent, or beneficiary.
- A home purchase, sale, or change in property ownership.
- The start, sale, or transfer of a business.
- A significant change in assets or retirement accounts.
- A move to or from New York.
Even without a major life event, periodic review can identify outdated provisions or beneficiary designations that no longer align with your wishes.
Why Choose Polizzotto & Polizzotto for Estate Planning?
Our leadership was built from the ground up, beginning with work in the family firm at age 15 and continuing through decades of legal practice. That history gives us insight into both the legal work and the practical concerns families face when planning for the future.
We respect your time and financial resources. Our goal is effective, streamlined representation that produces documents you understand and can use.
We view our clients as long-term relationships, and we have earned referrals by following the founder’s principle to always do right by our clients.
Speak With an Estate Planning Attorney Serving Long Island
Your plan should reflect your family, property, and wishes under New York law. Whether you need your first will, want to consider a trust, or have documents that no longer fit your life, we can provide clear, experience-based guidance.
Contact Polizzotto & Polizzotto to schedule a consultation with an estate planning attorney serving Long Island. Zoom consultations are available.
