New York Estate Lawyers

Life is full of uncertainties. Estate planning allows you to create a framework to be as prepared as possible for whatever life brings your way. Farrauto Berman Slater & Michaeli has been advising clients for decades with respect to their estate planning needs.

Legal Directives During Your Lifetime

Whether it be due to illness, incapacity, or simply convenience, there are times when it is imperative to have a legally designated representative with authority to act on your behalf. This may be for legal transactional matters or to make medical decisions. We can explain options and provide you with the documents you need.

Disposition of Assets Upon Death

There is a common misperception that if you do not have a Will, the state will take your assets when you die. Fortunately, this is almost always not true. If you die without a Will, your assets will pass to your heirs under the laws of intestacy. However, in many instances, the laws of intestacy may not be appropriate for your circumstances. If this is the case, you can take control of the process by executing a Will or Trust.

Another method to control the disposition of your assets upon your death is to set up beneficiary accounts naming the person or persons you wish to receive your assets. We are committed to explaining options and helping clients come up with the best plan for them.

The distribution of assets upon death very often involves the Surrogate’s Court. The Surrogate’s court primarily handles petitions for probate and administration. Probate is the process whereby the person or persons named as executor in a Will are granted letters testamentary which gives them the authority to act on behalf of the estate. An administration proceeding is just like a probate proceeding except there is no Will and disbursements are made in accordance with the laws of intestacy.