A complete New York estate plan is built from four core documents working together: a Last Will and Testament, one or more trusts, a durable power of attorney, and a health care proxy. A will alone is not a plan — it only speaks after death and only for assets that pass through probate. The other three documents protect you
For deaths on or after January 1, 2026, New York’s basic exclusion amount — the value an estate can pass free of New York estate tax — is $7,350,000. But there is a trap that catches estates worth even slightly more: the New York estate tax “cliff.” Once a taxable estate exceeds 105% of the exemption — $7,717,500 in 2026
To avoid probate in New York, you must move your assets out of your sole name before death so the Surrogate’s Court is never required to validate a will and appoint an executor. The most reliable way to accomplish this is a properly drafted revocable living trust (governed by EPTL Article 7), supported by correct beneficiary designations, joint-ownership titling, and
If you are a young family in New York, estate planning means putting four coordinated documents in place — a will, one or more trusts, a durable power of attorney, and a health care proxy — so that, if something happens to you, your children are cared for by people you choose, your assets pass without unnecessary delay, and someone
Estate planning for a blended family in New York means building a coordinated plan — a will, one or more trusts, a durable power of attorney, and a health care proxy — that deliberately balances two competing loyalties: providing for your current spouse during their lifetime while guaranteeing that your biological children (not your stepchildren by default, and not your
For most New Yorkers, the honest answer is: you need both — and probably more than that. A will and a trust are not competing choices; they are complementary tools that do different jobs. A will tells the Surrogate’s Court who inherits and who serves as executor, but it does not avoid probate. A revocable living trust avoids probate and