Health Care Proxies and Advance Directives: A New York City Q&A
A plain-English Q&A on NY health care proxies (PHL Art. 29-C) and advance directives for New York City families who want their wishes honored.
May 31, 2026
A plain-English Q&A on NY health care proxies (PHL Art. 29-C) and advance directives for New York City families who want their wishes honored.
A Q&A estate planning checklist for NYC residents: wills, POAs, health care proxies, trusts, and the 2026 NY estate tax cliff explained.
A NYC Q&A on revocable living trusts under EPTL Art. 7: how they skip Surrogate’s Court probate, stay flexible, and what they don’t do for taxes.
When does an irrevocable trust make sense for a New Yorker? A Q&A on Medicaid’s 5-year look-back, the NY estate tax cliff, and special needs planning.
A NYC Q&A on choosing a trustee under New York law, the difference from an executor, and what trustees must do under EPTL Article 7.
Dying without a will in NYC: how EPTL Art. 4 intestacy divides your estate, who inherits, guardianship, and Surrogate’s Court — in plain Q&A.
A New York City Q&A on the NY estate tax: the 2026 $7.35M exclusion, the cliff at $7,717,500, and how Surrogate’s Court fits in.
A NYC Q&A on beneficiary designations, why they override your will, and how New Yorkers accidentally undo their own estate plans.
A NYC Q&A on joint ownership pitfalls, how joint accounts and joint property override your will, and the risks under New York law.
A New York City Q&A on Medicaid planning and the 5-year look-back, irrevocable trusts, and protecting assets from nursing home costs.
A NYC Q&A on choosing an executor under New York law, what probate in Surrogate’s Court demands, and who’s eligible to serve.
How to make a valid will in NYC: EPTL §3-2.1 signing rules, witnesses, Surrogate’s Court probate, and common mistakes answered in plain Q&A.
Trust or will for your NYC estate? A Q&A comparing Surrogate’s Court probate, privacy, cost, and control under New York’s EPTL.
A NYC parent’s Q&A on naming a guardian for minor children in your will under New York law, and why Surrogate’s Court has the final say.
A NYC Q&A on New York’s durable power of attorney under GOL §5-1513: who manages your finances if you can’t, and why it beats guardianship.
NYC POA mistakes that cause real problems: outdated forms, no agent, missing statutory gifts rider, and GOL §5-1513 rules answered in plain Q&A.
Worried about Surrogate’s Court? A NYC Q&A on avoiding probate with trusts, beneficiary designations, and joint ownership under New York law.
A New York City Q&A on special needs trusts under EPTL 7-1.12, how they protect benefits, and when to use them for a loved one.
Do you really need a will in NYC? A Q&A on intestacy under EPTL Art. 4, guardianship, co-ops, and why a will matters even for modest estates.
A New York City Q&A on lifetime gifting to reduce NY estate tax, including the cliff at $7,717,500 and the three-year add-back rule.