White Plains Estate Planning

Find the right Wills & Trusts attorney in White Plains, NY

"Estate planning" in White Plains refers to the decisions a person makes concerning what is to be done with their assets after their death, and the procedure of implementing those wishes.

If you want to start the process of planning your estate, you've made a good choice, particularly if you care about what happens to your survivors after you're gone. You should be careful, however, and make sure you have the help of a legal and financial expert every step of the way. This will likely prove quite helpful in the long run, preventing a lot of problems in the future.

In the process of estate planning, you'll likely also deal with issues that can affect you during life. These include issues like power of attorney (to ensure that your wishes are carried out even if you're unable to express them), as well as instructions to your doctors and family regarding medical care. A reliable estate planner can also help you achieve your goals, while minimizing the effects of expenses like court fees and taxes.

If you want to maximize the odds that your wishes will be followed after your death, you should do everything you can to make them legally binding. While this is not always possible, a White Plains attorney will be able to make sure that, where it is feasible, it is done.

Common Features of White Plains Estates

Will: A will is often the central component of an estate plan. It is a legal document which says what is to be done with a person's assets after they die. It typically involves giving money and property to the testator's close family members, friends, and sometimes charitable organizations.

Living Will: This is a document which articulates your wishes regarding your medical care, to give instructions to your family and doctors in the event that you become incapacitated. While directly consulting it will hopefully never be necessary, one never knows - unexpected illnesses and injuries can happen to anyone, at any time. While making a living will might require a person to acknowledge the existence of some unpleasant possibilities, it can end up saving their loved ones a great deal of grief and uncertainty.

Power of Attorney: What if you become incapacitated, and can't make your own decisions? It would be nice if somebody knew what you would want in a given situation, and, on top of that, had the legal authority to make that decision for you. Power of attorney lets you do precisely that, granting a person of your choice the ability to make certain decisions for you, in case you, for whatever reason, can't (you can, of course, control the scope of power that you grant).

Funeral Arrangements: Whatever your preference on this matter (if you have a preference) you should make it known to your family both verbally and in writing. If you have very particular wishes regarding the final disposition of your mortal remains, you should not put those instructions in your will. Or, if you do, you should also put them somewhere else. Wills are normally not read for quite some time after a person dies, and the funeral is typically long over by then, so it will be too late to follow your instructions.

Do I Need a White Plains Estates Lawyer?

A poorly drafted or executed White Plains estate plan can have major negative consequences. For instance, it might be confusing to the people who are most directly affected by it. This confusion can frequently lead to costly litigation. For that reason, the advice of an efficient estate planning attorney can be invaluable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in White Plains

White Plains is located in Westchester County, New York. It is an affluent county that is home to around one million people. It is just north of New York City. Surrounding areas include the Hudson River, Harrison, Long Island Sound, Scarsdale, and Greenburgh. Per the 2010 census, White Plains itself has a population of 56,853 people.

Top employers include the Starwood Hotels, ITT, Bunge, Combe, Alliance Bernstein, Dannon, Krasdale Foods, Nine West, Vimeo, Acadia Realty Trust, AboveNet, Heineken, and Nokia. Naturally, to support all these corporations, White Plains is home to excellent and qualified attorneys who are there to serve the legal needs of residents and businesses.

Popular sites include the White Plains Armory, the Percy Grainger Home, and the Jacob Purdy House.

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