New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
One important goal of a New York estate plan is to provide a degree of certainty when it comes to family property issues. Each family is different. Deaths, marriages, divorces, children, and other events create various relationship dynamics within every family. Those relationships are often changing. When it comes to estate planning, each relative may have different expectations about how a loved one’s property and affairs will be handled. A death is often a trigger point that allows those different expectations to create conflict. Some families have been ripped apart as a consequence.
An article yesterday in Home Town Life highlighted the inherent conflict that exists noting that, “family infighting happens across the board, whether it’s a large estate, small estate, or even sometimes where there’s no money involved.” It is an issue of which all residents need be aware. No amount of planning can completely eliminate the chance of disagreement. However, a proper New York estate plan has the potential to drastically minimize the loose ends that will be left to loved ones. In this way, they have fewer issues to deal which could damage their relationships with one another.
Many residents fail to appreciate the possibility of infighting if they die without having conducted necessary planning. This risk exists even in families with no history of disagreement. Deaths are incredibly stressful times, and so the rules so often change after a passing. Thus, a proper estate plan is important to benefit those left behind. It offers welcome relief to those that matter at the time that they need it most.
Without planning, a family will usually need to go to court to settle an estate. Things always get more complicated when courts get involved. Court proceedings often breed conflict and probate is expensive to boot. Our New York estate planning lawyers are proud to help residents strategize ways to avoid court, avoid family infighting, and ease the stress following death. Experience with proper planning goes a long way towards reaching those goals. Like a chess player thinking ahead, a planner must understand the potential pitfalls that could result in family discord and properly account for them.
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