Estate Planning — New York State

What Is the New York Estate Tax Cliff (and How to Avoid It)?

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:36:17 +0000

The New York estate tax cliff is a rule that can cause an estate to lose its entire state exemption the moment it grows just slightly too large. For deaths in 2026, New York gives each person a basic exclusion of $7,350,000. But if your taxable estate climbs above 105% of that figure — $7,717,500 […]

The post What Is the New York Estate Tax Cliff (and How to Avoid It)? appeared first on Estate Planning — New York State.

Medicaid Planning and Your New York Estate (5-Year Look-Back)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:36:17 +0000

If you are a single individual in New York worried about how the cost of a nursing home could swallow everything you have worked for, here is the direct answer: Medicaid planning protects your estate by moving assets out of your name far enough in advance that they no longer count against you when you […]

The post Medicaid Planning and Your New York Estate (5-Year Look-Back) appeared first on Estate Planning — New York State.

Including Digital Assets in Your New York Estate Plan

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:36:17 +0000

To include digital assets in your New York estate plan, you inventory everything you own online, grant clear legal authority to a fiduciary you trust, and weave that authority through the four documents that make a New York plan complete: your will (EPTL §3-2.1), one or more trusts (EPTL Article 7), a durable power of […]

The post Including Digital Assets in Your New York Estate Plan appeared first on Estate Planning — New York State.

How Often Should You Update Your Estate Plan in New York?

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:36:17 +0000

As an individual planning for your own future in New York, you should review your estate plan at least once every three to five years, and immediately after any major life event — a move to or from New York, a new relationship, the purchase of property, a significant change in your assets, or a […]

The post How Often Should You Update Your Estate Plan in New York? appeared first on Estate Planning — New York State.

Health Care Proxy vs. Power of Attorney in New York

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:36:17 +0000

If you are planning as a single person and you remember only one thing from this page, remember this: in New York, a health care proxy and a power of attorney are two completely different documents that do two completely different jobs. A health care proxy, governed by New York Public Health Law Article 29-C, […]

The post Health Care Proxy vs. Power of Attorney in New York appeared first on Estate Planning — New York State.

A New York Estate Planning Checklist for 2026

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:36:17 +0000

A complete New York estate planning checklist for 2026 comes down to four coordinated documents: a last will and testament, one or more trusts, a durable power of attorney, and a health care proxy — all drafted to work together rather than in isolation. If you are a single person planning for yourself, these four […]

The post A New York Estate Planning Checklist for 2026 appeared first on Estate Planning — New York State.

Why Immigrant Families in New York Need an Estate Plan

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 01:30:00 +0000

Immigrant and mixed-status families in New York face unique estate planning issues, from non-citizen spouses to foreign heirs. Here is what to know.

The post Why Immigrant Families in New York Need an Estate Plan appeared first on Estate Planning — New York State.