How To Find The Best Estate Planning Attorney in New York

Finding the best estate planning lawyers near you, that you can also trust to guide you through the estate planning process, is crucial. These decisions will affect you and your family for years to come. It can be difficult to find a lawyer who is the right fit for such an important task.

You need a lawyer who has a comprehensive understanding of the various issues involved in putting together an estate plan. Elements of an estate plan can include things like minimizing income and estate tax liability, making sure your children are raised by the person or persons you are comfortable with, and inheritances.

It is important to schedule a consultation with an NYC estate planning attorney, as a local attorney will have in-depth knowledge of state-specific laws. They can guide you through relevant strategies and review any existing documents that may need to be updated to comply with local regulations.

As your family changes, your finances change, and estate tax laws change, it is extremely important to find someone who has extensive experience in this area of the law and who is up to date on all of the most recent changes in state and federal laws and plans in a way that puts your family first.

Avoid Mistakes, Work With An Experienced Estate Planning Attorney You Can Trust

The most common estate planning mistakes can all be avoided by scheduling a consultation with an attorney in your area. Far too many people believe they do not have enough assets to worry about and leave a legal mess behind for their loved ones to sort through. Whether it’s forgetting to update your will or trust, not having an estate plan at all, failing to name long and short-term guardians for your children, putting a child’s name on a deed without discussing the consequences with a lawyer, or failing to plan for a disability, these can all jeopardize your future and the future of your loved ones.

It is far better to schedule a meeting with an experienced estate planning attorney you can trust today – contact the office of Gabriel Katzner today to learn more about proper estate planning and how it can benefit you and your family.

 

What Does an Estate Planning Attorney Do?

An estate planning lawyer should have extensive expertise beyond the preparation of a last will and testament. A last will and testament is a good fit for some, but one size does not fit all. Attorney Gabriel Katzner is familiar with not only last wills and testaments but also with complex estate planning, such as revocable and irrevocable trusts, asset protection and drafting of trust administration and probate.

Do I Really Need an Estate Planning Attorney In New York?

If you own any property in New York, you need an estate plan. While some estates can be approached relatively simply, others are quite complex and many people make the mistake of assuming that they do not need estate planning. Do not let your loved ones find out after it is too late that you could have benefited from comprehensive estate planning. There are several different things that need to be accomplished in the process of estate planning, including:

  • Inventorying your property to determine what you currently own and what you owe in the form of debt.
  • Identifying how that property is owned.
  • Naming guardians for your minor children.
  • Determining who will manage the assets left to your loved ones.
  • Naming beneficiaries, especially on life insurance and retirement accounts.
  • Clarifying strategies that could reduce the amount of property that passes through probate court in New York.
  • Putting together a last will and testament.
  • Developing appropriate revocable and irrevocable trusts.
  • Reviewing insurance policies.
  • Figuring out strategies to minimize expenses and taxes linked to the distribution of your estate.
  • Choosing the professionals who will help with the development of an estate plan.
  • Planning for burial and funeral expenses.
  • Updating and reviewing your plan regularly.
  • Planning for liquidity of assets to pay debts.

 

Estate Planning is all we do. Our Experience Matters.

Opting to work with an attorney that works in several fields of law, rather than someone who has extensive experience in estate law, could cause you and your loved ones to lose a great deal of money. Even worse, working with an inexperienced estate attorney could even fail to put a valid estate plan in place at all. If you have tried to seek advice from a general practitioner, or worse an online resource trying to sell you on a one-size-fits-all approach, chances are, something is lacking in your plan. Estate law is a nuanced area of the law. It is an area of law that requires constant education and time to stay abreast of all the latest information. You and your family deserve an attorney that has dedicated their life to practicing and learning all about every aspect of estate planning.

Lifetime Relationships.

Although putting an estate plan in place is transactional, meaning that it could be limited in visits, estate attorney Gabriel Katzner, strives to form lifetime relationships with his clients. Life changes fast, and though the estate plans we put in place for clients are certainly designed to grow with them, it is imperative that we see each other every 2-3 years. These bi-annual meetings are simply an opportunity for us to catch up and make sure that the plan we put in place for you currently is still a good fit for the future.



San Diego Probate Attorney


Probate is the court process whose purpose is to prove the validity of a Will and distribute assets in accordance with the Will.

If you’ve lost someone close to you, probate is the last thing you want to deal with. I understand this and it’s why guiding my client’s seamlessly through probate is so very important to me.

In most states, probate averages 9-18 months and can quickly get very expensive if managed improperly.
It’s important to work with a lawyer who’s able to smoothly and efficiently navigate through everything involved in probate.

Learn More

New York Asset Protection


We live in a world where being sued is all too common and those who have accumulated wealth or had professional achievement are likely to find themselves on the wrong end of a lawsuit at some point.

What can you do to protect what you have worked a lifetime for? Thankfully there are estate planning options, such as a domestic asset protection trust, that will allow you to protect your hard earned assets.

The key with this sort of planning is to work with an attorney well versed in the space and to do such planning proactively because once you’re facing a creditor it’s typically too late.

Learn More

New York Probate and Trust Administration


Probate is the court process whose purpose is to prove the validity of a Will and distribute assets in accordance with the Will.

If you’ve lost someone close to you, probate is the last thing you want to deal with. I understand this and it’s why guiding my client’s seamlessly through probate is so very important to me.

In most states, probate averages 9-18 months and can quickly get very expensive if managed improperly.
It’s important to work with a lawyer who’s able to smoothly and efficiently navigate through everything involved in probate.

Learn More

MISSION STATEMENT

We deliver inventive and effective solutions and counsel

Our mission statement is “we deliver inventive and effective solutions and counsel.” We did not arrive at this mission statement overnight, but rather it took nearly a decade of client-focused hard work and every word of it has meaning.

 

Inventive Solutions for Individuals and Families

Inventive solutions means that we understand that when it comes to estate planning one size does not fit all. Rather, each estate plan must, if it’s to be worth the paper it’s written on, accomplish a client’s goals and address their concerns. Each of us and our families are unique.

Each estate plan we put in place is unique and that is the foundation of what we do. A lawyer who understands your unique needs can translate this into meaningful strategies and tactics for your future. These strategies and tactics will give you the peace of mind you need in case something ever happens to you. Your clearly articulated estate plan will ensure that your loved ones do not have to worry about anything unnecessary in the wake of a difficult situation.

Effective solutions when you need it most

Some of our clients are parents of young children. These parents aren’t typically concerned with estate taxes but they are concerned with whom will care for their children after they are gone. Other clients have adult children with substance abuse or marital issues. Their concerns have evolved from guardianship to ensuring that the money they leave their loved ones does not cause more harm than good. Still other clients have accumulated great wealth and what they care about most is ensuring that some litigious third party does not take from them what they’ve worked a lifetime for.

For each of these clients, arriving at an effective solution, one that accomplishes their goals and addresses their concerns, is of paramount importance to us.

A comprehensive understanding of state and federal laws

With the ever-shifting nature of state and federal estate law, tax issues, and other relevant laws, you need someone who stays up to date on all of these topics and will help to keep you informed not just today but well into the future.

Forming a relationship with a knowledgeable and caring estate planning attorney will help you to put together a plan that serves you for many years to come.

Meet Your Trusted Estate Planning Attorney

An Experienced Estate Planning Attorney

Gabriel Katzner brings a reputation for working hard, with passion and compassion, for individuals and families who need assistance with their estate planning.

Gabriel brings more than 17 years of experience to his legal career: first successfully completing the certified public accounting examination, next working at an international law firm and finally branching out and opening his own firm. He brings a personalized approach to the table that considers your unique needs when putting together an estate plan.

Our clients are treated like family, not just another legal matter.


As the founding partner of Katzner Law Group, that started in 2009, Gabriel brings a modern and responsive approach to estate planning in a way that has garnered a multitude of outstanding public reviews (many of which you can read below).

MEET GABRIEL

Why Choose Us?

There’s no shortage of estate planning attorneys in New York City. Let me take this opportunity to explain some of the reasons why Katzner Law Group is different.

Compassion

"I'm a parent to my 7-year old son and 5-year old daughter. I therefore know what your estate planning concerns are. As a parent, my concerns align with yours"

Reputation

"It's easy for an attorney to say 'I'm great, my client's think the world of me.' But is their statement true? Please check out my public reviews below and otherwise online and see what clients truly think of me."

Communication

"I like to say that I'm 'responsive to a fault.' You'll be pleasantly surprised when I respond to your weekend email in an hour. I will also schedule time to speak with you very early in the morning or late in the evening, if that suits your schedule. I block out time each day to return emails and phone calls and it's rare when I'm not same day responsive."

Flat and Honest Fees

"All of the estate planning work I do is on a flat fee basis. This makes you comfortable and it makes me comfortable knowing we'll never have to deal with a fee dispute."

Experience

"Since graduating Fordham Law School in 2002 I've been a practicing attorney. My first experience as an attorney was in "big law". Since 2009 I've had my own practice. While I'm not one to say 'I've seen it all', I'm confident saying that I've dealt with almost every estate planning fact and pattern. I feel that I do a great job tailoring the estate plans for my clients to each of their individual goals and concerns."

Kindness

"I understand that meeting with an attorney to discuss estate planning is not everyone's idea of a great time. I like to think that I bring a human touch and sensitivity to estate planning while at the same time making sure the plan we put in place for you does all it must to protect your family and loved ones."

Work With Us

Request a Consultation

Schedule Consultation

or

Call Our Office

  (855) 528-9637

Client Reviews

We’re humbly one of the nation’s most loved estate planning law firms.

More Reviews

Common Estate Planning Questions

Can’t find an answer? Call us at (855) 528-9637

or email contact@katznerlawgroup.com ASK US SOMETHING ELSE

An estate plan should include essential documents such as a revocable living trust, financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney, and a living will. These documents direct asset distribution, minimize taxes, and help avoid legal disputes. For more basic estate planning needs, a Last Will and Testament may be appopriate.

Consider establishing trusts to bypass probate, plan for incapacity, and provide for minor children’s needs with structure and long-term asset protection. Putting in place a trust, as well as financial and healthare powers of attorney, ensures your financial and healthcare decisions are managed by who you want in the way you want if you become incapacitated. Make sure to update beneficiary designations so certain assets pass directly to heirs outside of probate.

It’s also advisable to include instructions for digital assets, social media accounts, and letters for executors to address specific personal and financial circumstances.

These are just a few of the items that comprise a well thought out, and well executed, estate plan.

Read More: Estate Planning Must Haves

Like many things in life, estate plans vary widely in their quality and effectiveness.

The LegalZooms and will-mill law firms provide very basic form documents. Merely cutting and pasting your name and some personal information will likely leave big holes in your estate planning. Sometimes people who do not understand wills and trusts are unknowingly given a will when a trust would have been a better choice, or vice-versa.

This routinely occurs when the client did not get the proper advice regarding the benefits and disadvantages of each one. These clients are given a product that served the company or attorney best, not what was best for the person needing estate planning advice.

As part of our practice, we are often asked to review estate plans created by other companies or law firms.

Some clients thought that they had a trust that would allow their estate to avoid probate, when in fact they actually just had a will. The lawyer just told them “yes, this will avoid probate.”  These clients had asked for a trust and were told they had a trust.

Sadly, they find out after my review that they had a will with a testamentary trust that only goes into effect after their death and does not actually avoid probate.

I have had clients come to me with plans that do not protect the money their children inherit from full public disclosure. This puts loved ones assets at risk. Leaving a lump sum of money to children, especially young children, is asking for trouble (or the money to be spent quickly or spent on wasteful things, at best).

The decision whether to do your own estate plan is a personal one. I’m not a hard sell attorney. I can only advise you that the number of professionals, doctors, accountants, and other lawyers who do not practice estate planning who we do estate planning work for is large. These professionals are aware of the intricacies that estate plans contain and how sometimes in life we need to pay money to someone to properly protect ourselves.

For example, life insurance premiums, homeowner’s insurance premiums, or legal fees for an estate plan. All money spent to plan an estate is money spent to protect you and your family.  My clients ask me to do their estate plan because they believe that using an online provider, a cut-rate attorney or doing it themselves would leave too many holes in their estate plan and expose their loved ones to issues in the future.

Read More: Estate Planning Mistakes To Avoid

Putting aside guardianship, which we discuss extensively throughout the site, if you have minor children, one of the most important decisions you will have to make is when, how, and under what circumstances your children will receive the money you leave for them.

If a parent dies without a trust in place, a judge would decide how much of your assets would go to them. The judge would rule that whatever amount of money your children are going to inherit would be inherited outright at the age of majority, which is 18 in New York.

Take a trip down memory lane and think about 18 year old you. While most of us were nice young men and women, without drug or other serious problems, we were all certainly incapable of handling a lump sum of money falling in our lap. At best the money would be spent and wasted quickly. At worst it would lead us down the road to ruin.

When you have taken the time to put a trust in place you get to decide for yourself, as opposed to a judge making the decision for you, when, how, and under what circumstances your children will have access to their inheritance. Maybe you want them to get everything outright at age 18, which we certainly would not recommend.  Maybe you want access to the inheritance triggered by certain life events such as graduating college, turning a certain age, getting married, or having children. What matters is the decision is yours and not that of a judge who doesn’t know you or your family. You don’t see mention of a will above.  That is because with a will all of the information, such as when and how much money your children will inherit, would be public.

There are predators who review probate filings just looking for someone to rip off. These are not necessarily violent criminals, but rather sophisticated scam artists who know how to take advantage of the young and naive.

A properly drafted trust keeps this information private and allows your estate to avoid the time-consuming probate process.

Read More: Estate Planning To Protect Your Child’s Inheritance

No!  It means exactly the opposite and this is one of the biggest misunderstandings I see (and why we are by and large a trust based practice).

If you have a will, rather than avoid probate, it literally guarantees that your estate will need to go through the probate process.  Wills get probated, that’s all there is to it.

That being said, as much as we espouse the benefits of trust based planning throughout our practice, having a written will is certainly better than having nothing at all. In the absence of a written estate plan, the court decides everything about your estate: who the personal representative is; who receives your assets; who the guardian is of your minor children; and when they receive those assets.

These are some serious, life-defining, decisions.  The court is the last one that should be making them on your behalf. When you have a written will, you get to decide who you would want as your personal representative, who the guardian of your minor children should be, who you want to receive your assets, when you want them to receive those assets, as well as any restrictions and protections you want to place on receipt of those assets. This is particularly important when you have minor children.

There are downsides to a written will that a trust based plan avoids. The fact that your estate will still go through the probate process which means it will take 9-18 months, cost 3%-8% of the gross estate and be 100% public thereby exposing your loved ones to predators and scam artists. However, you at least get the benefit of knowing that your wishes are being met and everything is not being left in the hands of a judge.

Read More: Avoid Probate Court Costs, Delays, and Expenses

Yes, there are ways to avoid or reduce estate taxes, commonly referred to as the “death tax”. In New York, for someone that passes away after January 1, 2024, estates smaller than $6.94 million, including life insurance, are not subject to the “death tax”. There are ways to effectively double the $6.94 million exemption if you are married and use amore nuanced and proactive approach to estate tax planning.

Many people, most really, fail to take advantage of this. New York residents have a bigger estate tax problem than most because of what’s commonly referred to as the “estate tax cliff.” In most states, the estate tax is treated as such: the exemption is let’s say $1 million. Your estate is worth $2 million. You are taxed on the amount you exceed the exemption. So, in our example you would take the $2 million estate and subtract the $1 million exemption and pay tax on the $1 million difference.

In New York, for someone that passes away after January 1, 2024, if their estate is worth greater than $7,287,000 (which is 105% of the exemption), their entire estate would be subject to estate tax! This is a draconian rule and shows why it’s so important to do whatever is legally possible to avoid the New York estate tax. With proactive estate tax planning mechanisms built into your own estate plan you can save a massive amount of money for your loves ones, as opposed to losing it to taxes.

If you are wondering about gifting money, stocks, bonds, real estate, business interests, or other assets to your children, grandchildren, or others, you have come to the right place. I’d first like to note that the gifting laws can be more complicated than they at first appear. Gifting can have unintended consequences.

For example, there are different rules for gifting money to your young child than to your elderly parent in a nursing home. Gifting money to a young child is usually very easy and straightforward with no unintended tax consequences (though there are concerns surrounding whether a child is financially capable of managing the money, whether it will be lost to their future divorcing spouse or other creditor, and how to proactively plan to avoid these issues). Gifting money to a relative in a nursing home can have unintended consequences such as making them ineligible for Medicaid. So use the information here as no more than a general guide and get more detailed information from an estate planning attorney based on your personal circumstances.

Gifting in 2024: Annual gift tax exclusion—inflation adjusted to $18,000 per person. This amount can be given to a child, grandchild, or other person.

Furthermore, if you are married, each spouse can gift this amount to each desired recipient. This means that a married couple can together gift $36,000 per year per individual recipient. If one spouse has greater assets, be sure to ask your estate planning attorney and CPA about split gifts and whether or not you need to file a gift tax return. Lifetime Exclusion (unified credit): This is a topic of much confusion. In addition to the annual gift tax exclusion discussed above, each person now also has a $13,610,000 lifetime credit which can be used to make gifts to children, grandchildren, and others. You will be required to file a 709 gift tax return when making gifts larger than the $18,000 per year annual gift tax amount, but you can use some of your lifetime credit so you don’t have to come out of pocket and pay taxes on a yearly gift.

So what this means, and where the confusion lies, is let’s say you gift $25,000 to your grandchild. Since your annual gift tax exclusion is $18,000, you’ve gifted $7,000 in excess of this amount. But you don’t necessarily pay taxes on this $7,000. Rather, the $7,000 is simply decreased from your $13,610,000 lifetime credit.

Gifts of assets without a clear value, such as real estate or business interests, may require an appraisal. If you are considering a lifetime gift, especially one in excess of your annual gift tax exclusion, you should obtain the advice of legal counsel.

Gifting can be effectively used to reduce estate taxes in certain circumstances and should always be coordinated with your larger estate plan.

The advice of counsel can therefore be both valuable and can save you and your heirs from later problems that might cost much more to correct.

Payable-on-death accounts may be used to allow assets held in the account to transfer outside of the probate process. It is one way of avoiding the probate process and allowing your heirs to inherit money immediately after you pass away.

Read More: Payable On Death Account

Many states and the federal government don’t have inheritance taxes, so it is unlikely that your heirs will have to pay this type of tax. However, there are certain estate taxes that are imposed on estates beyond a certain value. Consulting with a knowledgeable estate planning attorney can assist you in figuring out whether or not this applies to your individual situation.

Read More: Inheritance Taxes

Estate planning is the process of arranging for the management and disposal of your estate during your life and after your death. It involves making decisions about how your assets will be distributed, outlining healthcare choices in case you become incapacitated, and implementing strategies to minimize taxes.

By engaging in estate planning, you can ensure that your wishes are honored, provide for your loved ones, and potentially reduce the tax burden on your estate. It’s advisable to consult with an estate planning attorney to create a comprehensive plan tailored to your specific needs and goals.

Having a will is essential to ensure your assets are distributed to your loved ones according to your wishes. It allows you to name an executor who will manage your estate and designate guardians for your minor children, providing you with peace of mind.

That being said, most people find a Will insufficient to accomplish their estate planning goals. This is because having a Will based estate plan guarantees probate, which will be a lengthy, expensive, and public process. To help avoid probate and provide ongoing management of your assets, consider setting up a revocable living trust. A revocable living trust can offer additional benefits and flexibility in how your assets are handled.

It’s advisable to consult with an estate planning attorney to discuss your options and create a plan that best suits your needs.

You should update your estate plan after key life events such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, or significant asset changes. Regular reviews ensure it reflects your current wishes and includes updated beneficiary designations.

Estate planning is an ongoing process. Regular contact with an estate attorney ensures that your plan aligns with any changes in state laws or personal circumstances.

Using a trust over a will offers significant benefits by avoiding probate, which is a lengthy, costly (3%-8% of the estate), and public process that can expose your loved ones to risks and headache. A properly set up and funded trust bypasses probate entirely, providing privacy and saving on long-term probate costs.

While a will requires probate and adds administrative challenges and expenses for your heirs, trusts, though more expensive upfront, allow assets to transfer more seamlessly post your death to your beneficiaries. They are especially beneficial for complex estates and can provide ongoing financial support for minor children. Keep in mind that a will is still necessary to appoint guardians for your children and any well drafted trust based estate plan will contain a will component for this and a few other reasons.

Additionally, trust assets must be retitled into the trust’s name, whereas assets covered by a will do not require retitling. Considering these advantages, using a trust over a will can offer greater privacy, efficiency, and control over how your assets are managed and distributed both during your life, upon incapacity, and most importantly upon death.

Request a Consultation

Schedule Consultation

or

Call Our Office

  (855) 528-9637

Our Locations

Katzner Law Group, P.C.

360 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor,
New York, NY 10017

get directions  

Phone Number
(646) 736-7539