What happens if you leave money to your twelve-year-old granddaughter in your will, and something happens to you before she turns eighteen? Many clients are surprised to learn that a minor cannot simply walk into a bank and claim an inheritance. In New York, if a child is set to receive more than $10,000 through […]

Many of my clients believe that once they sign a will, their final wishes are locked safely away, seen only by the people they choose to share them with. In New York, that assumption is simply wrong. The moment a will is filed with the Surrogate's Court, it becomes part of a public court file […]

Who do you trust enough to hand over control of your family's future? That is the real question behind every trust I help clients create, and it is often harder to answer than deciding how the assets themselves should be divided. A trust is only as good as the person managing it, and I have […]

Imagine settling into the role of beneficiary after a loved one passes, only to watch the months stretch into a year with no accounting, no distributions, and no answers from the person entrusted to close out the estate. I have sat across from families in exactly this position, watching an executor's silence turn a difficult […]

By Roman Aminov, Many families in Queens own more than they think. Add up the co-op or house you bought years ago, a couple of retirement accounts, a life insurance policy, and whatever sits in checking and savings, and the total can surprise you. That number matters because New York has its own estate tax […]

By Roman Aminov, If you own property in New York, have a family to provide for, or simply want to keep the state from deciding what happens to everything you've built, the question isn't whether you need an estate plan. The question is which tools belong in it. For most New York families, the decision […]

Testamentary Trusts vs. Living Trusts: What’s the Difference—and Which Fits Your Family? When people hear “trust,” they may not know that there are trusts are effective while you are alive, i.e. “living trusts” and trusts that spring into existence when you pass away, i.e. “testamentary trusts”. Understanding how they work—especially the role of probate, funding, […]

Estate planning is an important process for ensuring that your assets and property are distributed according to your wishes after you pass away. One option for estate planning is to create a living trust, which is a legal document that allows you to transfer ownership of your assets to a trust while you are still […]

Purchasing a property in New York City is an exciting endeavor, but the process can be complex, with distinct differences depending on whether you're eyeing a co-operative (co-op), a condominium (condo), or a private house. This guide will walk you through the general steps involved and highlight the unique aspects of each property type, all […]

The 2025 New York estate tax exemption is set at $7.16 million per person. This means if the total value of your assets is at or below this amount when you pass away, New York State generally won't levy an estate tax. However, for estates exceeding this threshold, understanding the rules and planning accordingly is […]