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Estate Planning

Experienced Estate Planning Attorneys Serve New York and New Jersey

Respected firm helps you protect your assets and loved ones

No matter the size of your estate, it’s essential you make careful plans for the future so that your final wishes are known and upheld. Without proper legal representation, the future of your assets and your family could be at risk. At Schwartz, Fang & Keating, P.C., we have offices in Woodbury (Long Island), New York, New York City and Edison, New Jersey to provide residents of both states with effective estate planning representation. Whether you wish to draft or change your will, establish guardianship for a minor, or discuss estate tax issues, our skilled professionals can assist you. Our attorneys draw on 97 years of combined experience in estate planning and will ensure you make use of every available instrument to memorialize your wishes.

Skilled counselors create effective wills for clients in New York and New Jersey

Regardless of how you want to divide your assets after your passing, it is important to have a legally sound will to ensure your property will be distributed according to your wishes. We assist clients with essential aspects including:

  • Drafting — We will ensure that the drafting of your will accurately reflects your wishes and adheres to the state’s requirements for signatures and witnesses.
  • Determining an executor — Our firm can help you choose the right person to serve as executor so that you can trust your instructions will be carried out correctly after your passing.
  • Revising — Because situations and families evolve over time, it’s likely yours have changed since drafting your will. We can assist with modifying your will to make sure that its instructions are relevant and up to date.

After discussing your situation, our firm can more accurately assess your needs and assist you with a draft or revision that will properly reflect your wishes.

Established estate planning firm assists you with guardianships

As a parent, your first responsibility is the care of your child, whether that child is a minor or an incapacitated adult. So it’s essential you make plans for their care in the event of your passing. Your will can specify a person you trust to assume the duties of a guardian, but the court will need to appoint that person for the relationship to be legally binding. There are two types of guardianship in New York and New Jersey: guardian of the person and guardian of the property. One person can serve in both roles, but your unique situation and goals for your loved ones will determine what kinds of arrangements you wish to establish.

Reliable advisers provide sound legal counsel on estate taxes

After an individual dies, the federal government taxes estates valued at or above a certain amount, and that amount is subject to change. Some state governments also impose a tax on a decedent’s estate before it can be distributed to beneficiaries. In the state of New York, the threshold for estate tax is $5.25 million (as of January 2019, it is scheduled to increase to $5,490,000), so an estate valued at less than this amount is not taxed by the state. New Jersey does not impose a tax on the estates of decedents who have died on or after January 1, 2018, but the state does impose an inheritance tax on beneficiaries or transferees, based on the inheritance received and relationship between the recipient and decedent. There are ways to minimize estate taxes, including private annuities, marital transfers, and lifetime gifts to children. Our firm can go over the details of your estate and determine the best course of action to take to reduce your estate tax in New York or New Jersey.

Contact an experienced estate planning firm serving NY and NJ for a consultation

Whether you are drafting a will, establishing legal guardianship, or handling estate taxes, Schwartz, Fang & Keating, P.C., with offices in Woodbury (Long Island), New York, New York City and Edison, New Jersey, can assist you. Please call 516-388-7445 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation today.

 

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Our Offices
  • Woodbury, Long Island Office
    60 Crossways Park Drive West
    Suite 301
    Woodbury, New York 11797
    Phone: 516-388-7445
    Fax: 516-864-2943
  • New York City Office
    135 West 50th Street
    New York, New York 10020
    Phone: 516-388-7445
    Fax: 516-864-2943
  • Iselin Office
    200 Wood Ave South
    Suite 125
    Iselin, New Jersey 08830
    Phone: 516-388-7445
    Fax: 516-864-2943