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Estate Planning

Clients Are Always Our First Priority

Planning an Estate in Long Island

Benefit From 50 Years of Experience

Are you interested in planning for your future and the future of your loved ones? A comprehensive estate plan can address your possible healthcare and financial needs. It can also provide for your family through the protection and proper distribution of your assets as well as the selection of a guardian for your minor children.

Why Call Our Long Island Estate Planning Lawyers?

  • We are backed by 5-star client reviews
  • We provide compassionate legal counsel
  • We remain in contact with clients, so they are never left in the dark
  • No surprises: most legal work is charged on a flat-fee basis that is agreed to upfront

Adler Law is here to educate you, taking the time to get to know you, your family, your concerns, your goals, and your issues. We can gladly and patiently answer all your questions to produce an estate plan that is right for you. We are experienced in helping clients draft comprehensive estate plans as well as guiding individuals through the probate process after their loved ones have passed away.

Our Estate Planning Services

Our proven Long Island estate attorneys can assist you in cases involving the following legal matters:

Last Will & Testament – A last will & testament, otherwise known as a "will," allows you to name an executor of your estate, it enables you to appoint a guardian for minor children, and it allows you to be in control of who gets what property and when.

Trusts – One important estate planning tool is the trust, which can be either irrevocable or revocable and can be created while you are alive or upon your death. A properly created trust may provide you with asset protection, estate tax savings and even control how and when your assets are distributed to your heirs. Our skilled attorneys can review your unique situation and help you decide if a trust – or even multiple trusts – is right for your needs.

Advance Directives – Although it may be difficult to discuss what type of medical care you would like to receive in the future, it is important to do so. We can help you secure the best healthcare options through a comprehensive estate plan that includes a Power-of-Attorney, a Living Will, and a Health Care Proxy.

Elder Law – We understand that elder law issues can be sensitive and difficult to plan for, but we can help you protect your rights and plan for your future. Your healthcare needs are particularly important, and we can help you prepare with advance directives and Medicaid planning.

Asset Protection – Did you know that if you begin early enough, it is possible to safeguard your assets from future lawsuit settlements and creditors? We can help you protect your assets through a variety of methods including investing in exempt property and placing real estate property in trusts.

Change of Beneficiary – Beneficiary designations are critical to the estate planning process, especially since they often control a large portion of a client's wealth. We can help you understand why it is necessary to keep beneficiary designations up-to-date and what circumstances trigger a review of your beneficiaries.

Digital Asset Planning – Do you have social media or online banking accounts? Our firm can help you protect your privacy as well as the safety of your loved ones through the process of digital asset planning, an important part of modern estate planning.

Estate Taxes – If you have a large estate, you may want to consider estate planning sooner rather than later. If your estate is worth over $5.85 million, we can advise you on the best way to avoid the progressive New York State estate tax, and if your estate exceeds $11.58 million, it is essential to plan ahead to minimize the Federal estate tax. The estate tax savings can be staggering.

Guardianship – You may be able to protect your loved ones and their assets through the selection of a guardian. In the state of New York, the guardianship of an incapacitated person is created through Article 81 of the NYS Mental Hygiene Law. Additionally, the law provides for minors through Article 17 of the Surrogate's Court Procedure and for developmentally disabled people through Article 17A of the Surrogate's Court Procedure.

Living Wills – Living wills are important estate planning documents that allow you to decide in advance what types of life-sustaining medical procedures you do not want. This document is ideal for individuals who object to receiving certain procedures that would only prolong the dying process.


Creating an estate plan now can help you provide for your loved ones in the future and ensure that your assets are distributed to the heirs you choose. Call our experienced legal team at our number (516) 740-1184 today. 


 

Your Personal Family Wealth Planning Session

One of the first steps to getting started with an estate plan is to schedule a Family Wealth Planning Session with one of our Long Island estate planning lawyers. The appointment can be scheduled for any weekday, including evenings. This planning session is usually an hour during this time we focus solely on you and your family. You will receive forms to complete before the meeting, which will help both you and our firm understand your legal and financial situation.

During the meeting, we can review what would happen to your assets and loved ones should something happen to you. Then we can discuss what you would like to happen and design a way to get the appropriate estate plan in place as easily and quickly as possible. If you have more complex financial matters, we can help you during a second design meeting or schedule a Whole Family Wealth Audit Meeting to address the most difficult financial issues.

What to Do Before Your Personal Family Wealth Planning Session

Before your Family Wealth Planning Session, you will need to review the Family Wealth Planning Worksheet that you will receive by mail or email after scheduling your appointment. The worksheet will need to be returned by mail, email or fax at least three days before the meeting. If we do not have the Family Wealth Planning Worksheet within three days of the session, the appointment may need to be rescheduled, as we need adequate time to look over your information to prepare for the meeting.

Please call the office at any time if you need help or have questions regarding the worksheet. The purpose of the Family Wealth Planning Worksheet is to help you focus on the information and questions that are important and necessary to enable us to get your legal and financial matters in order.

Completing the form helps us provide you with the best possible service, and you will need to take the following steps before your appointment:

  • Print the Family Wealth Planning Worksheet:
  • Married Estate Planning Worksheet
  • Life Partners Estate Planning Worksheet
  • Single Estate Planning Worksheet
  • Complete as much as possible
  • Schedule an appointment to discuss your needs
  • Return the Family Wealth Planning Worksheet to the office at least three days prior to your appointment

Additionally, it is important that you provide us with copies of any existing estate planning documents three days prior to your appointment so we can review them before our meeting.

Reviewing Your Documents

After the creation of your new estate plan, we review your assets to ensure that they are titled for the right protection. We can also schedule a meeting to have you sign your planning documents just a few weeks later. Instead of confusing you with legal jargon, we explain your documents in simple terms so that you can understand how your plan is designed to carry out your wishes for the future, even through probate proceedings. Additionally, we can also explain how our firm and your estate plan can protect and care for your family.

After your estate planning documents have been signed, your family can be protected in the ways discussed during our design meeting. Once you sign the planning documents, you have up to 50 days to alter them at no extra charge. While some firms view the document signing as the end of the relationship with a client, to our firm this step is only the beginning.

Updating Your Estate Plan

We understand that your family and assets are constantly changing, and we can make sure your plans are always up-to-date by reviewing them at least every three years at no additional charge. We also keep our clients informed about changes in the law or other changes that affect their families or assets. Additionally, our firm welcomes communication with our clients and never charges for their phone calls, faxes, or emails when working on a flat fee basis

Your Estate Planning & Probate Lawyers for Life

Adler Law has the skill and knowledge needed to meet your estate planning and probate needs. With over 50 years of experience, our firm has an extensive understanding of the law as well as the financial matters of estate planning and probate. We are a boutique firm with a client-centered approach. Our attorneys personally work with each client to help them build a comprehensive estate plan or walk them through the probate process.


Contact us at (516) 740-1184 to learn more about your legal options and the benefits of obtaining the legal services of our Long Island estate planning attorneys.


Trusted Guidance That Exceeds Expectations
  • 50 years of experience on your side.
  • Personalized approach with all of our clients.
  • Responsive to all client inquiries.
  • Effective service, proven results.

Adler Law