Estate plans are generally comprised of three basic documents: 1) a Last Will and Testament, 2) a Health Care Proxy, and 3) a Power of Attorney. (Advanced plans may include a trust.) Executing your estate plan can feel overwhelming—it requires deep thought about unhappy topics, such as sickness and death. However, through the guidance of an estate attorney, the process may be handled with ease. The execution of an estate plan is important to ensure you choose who cares for you during your lifetime and who manages your estate after you die.
When you retain an estate attorney, be sure to make a follow-up appointment to review all draft documents to ensure they correspond to your estate plan. Work typically begins quickly upon receipt of payment and your review of the plan is necessary before finalizing the documents. Drafting an estate plan is not just writing documents catered to your wishes—other time and resources are used to make sure the execution of your documents goes smoothly and complies with New York State law. These could include securing disinterested witnesses and arranging for travel if you are unable to travel yourself to the attorney’s office.
Contacting an estate attorney to draft an estate plan is essential to your present protections and future desires after you die. Please follow your attorney’s instructions as to what information is required for the draft of the plan so execution of the documents may be expedited smoothly and your mind will be at ease.