Hiring a New York attorney to handle your estate planning is never an easy decision. Many people feel that they’ll be able to handle the matter on own or hire their Uncle Saul who practices real estate law. The truth is that hiring an experienced estate planning attorney ensures that your wishes are carried out as you intended.

New York Attorney Elliot Schlissel

Elliot Schlissel, a New York attorney for over 30 years whose practice focuses on estate planning and several other areas of the law, says that individuals doing wills and trusts should use an attorney that is knowledgeable in that area of the law, especially if they have significant assets. He explained, “It is a sophisticated area of the law. There are attorneys who do elder care work who are very specialized in these types of things. They should ask the attorney how long they’ve been doing wills, trusts, and estates; if they’re a member of any elder care attorney organizations; how many have they done and things of that nature.”

Avoid going it alone

Due to the complexity of estate planning laws in New York, Schlissel says that using on-line kits tend to create more problems than they solve. He explained, “My experience is that most people who buy these kits online end up with wills that aren’t valid and they end up in litigation. If a will is not 100 percent correct, it will create litigation that will cost many thousands of dollars to straighten out. A will simply has to be 100 percent correct to be accepted; it can’t be mostly correct.”

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How are New York estate planning attorneys compensated?

Schlissel says that generally, attorneys will charge a set fee for the drafting of the documents and they’ll quote a fee after analyzing the situation. However, he understands that people still may have concerns about whether hiring an attorney is in their best interests, which is why he offers clients a free initial consultation.

For estate planning needs such as wills, trusts, healthcare proxies, powers of attorney or probate matters, contact an experienced New York estate planning attorney to discuss you situation and evaluate your options. Consultations are free, without obligation and strictly confidential.