Estate Planning Lawyers in Jackson Heights, NY, Helping You Plan for You and Your Beneficiary’s Future

Essentially everyone in New York has an estate of some sort, but far fewer among us have taken the necessary steps to establish a valid, legally enforceable estate plan. Often, we do not want to think about writing our wills or planning for the days when we are not here, as this not only invites us to consider our own mortality but it also raises the concerns related to our family members going on without our care and protection. But that is precisely why estate planning is so important because it allows us to look out for our loved ones even when we are no longer with them.

Without a strong estate plan in place, it is possible for assets to be at risk of being seized by creditors or litigators. Without estate planning documents that establish your wishes, the courts may decide what care is given and who shall inherit what assets. And perhaps worst of all, those who pass away without a well-executed estate plan risk creating conflict between the family and loved ones who survive them as they argue and litigate over what they believe is rightly theirs in court.

For these and so many other reasons, it is absolutely vital that you consider taking steps to better protect your estate and the assets which your beneficiaries will one day inherit.

To learn more about what options you have, please contact the estate planning attorneys of Ortiz & Ortiz, LLP. Our law firm has served Jackson Heights and the surrounding five boroughs of New York for decades, and we would be proud to help guide you through the estate planning process.

What Are Essential Elements of a New York Estate Plan?

There are many estate planning tools available to you in New York State, though not every option is suitable for every estate. To better decide how to build you a strong estate plan, it is important to speak with our lawyers about your goals.

The Five Most Popular Elements of a Strong Estate Plan:

• Last Will and Testament: Everyone should draft their will, regardless of how big or small they expect their estate to be. It is essential that you select who your beneficiaries are to be and who will inherit your estate’s assets. Without a will, your estate could get bogged down and fought over in probate court, where ultimately, your assets will be distributed per the terms of New York state laws.
• Power of Attorney: There are many different types of powers of attorney, but the most useful is the ‘durable’ power of attorney, which allows for an agent entrusted with the authority to make important decisions on your behalf to act even in instances where you are incapacitated.
• Living Will: A living will establishes your wishes for medical care and end-of-life decisions should you ever become too sick or injured to speak for yourself.
• Living Trust: A revocable living trust allows you to distribute assets to your beneficiaries even during your lifetime so that you may see the benefit of your actions in real-time. After death, well-constructed trusts do not need to pass through probate.
• Asset Protection: All that you have acquired in your life can disappear in a snap if you are unlucky enough to lose a lawsuit or wind up in extreme amounts of debt. To ensure your assets are protected from creditors and future lawsuits, consider an asset protection strategy.

What Estate Planning Services Does Our Law Firm Provide?

The law firm of Ortiz & Ortiz offers a wide range of estate planning services to our clients in Jackson Heights, NY.

Services Include:

• Amendments to wills and trusts.
• Assisting the executor of an estate and the trustee of a trust.
• Establishing guardianship.
• Helping our clients limit exposure to estate taxes.
• Helping our clients with the creation of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and asset protection legal documents.
• Probate court assistance, including court hearings, notifying creditors, and estate litigation.
• Real estate transferal and sale following a death.
• Will contests.

When Should You Begin Crafting Your Estate Plan?

The time to begin crafting your estate plan is now, not later. No one knows when our final day may be, and it is important that these documents are in place before then. A half-finished will is as good as no will at all.

Similarly, it is important to begin asset protection strategies now because if you wait to shield your assets until after they come under threat, it may be too late.

Please, do not wait. Do not put it off until another day because you think you have all the time in the world.

Your loved ones depend on you here and now. Take steps to ensure that they can depend on your foresight in the future, too, even when you are no longer here.

Contact the Estate Planning Attorneys of Ortiz & Ortiz, LLP and Schedule a Consultation to Discuss Your Goals

Estate planning is and will continue to be one of the most essential elements for families who are looking out for their loved ones, both in the present day and for future unforeseen circumstances. These are not subjects that many of us want to think about often, but once a strong estate plan is in place, many people claim to feel a new sense of calm come over them.

Take the steps today to begin planning for tomorrow. Start crafting your estate plan with the help of the lawyers of Ortiz & Ortiz, LLP.

To speak to our legal team, please call our law offices and schedule a consultation: 917-540-9772.