Estate Planning Attorney Serving New York City Families
New York City Families Deserve a Plan That Actually Works
Estate planning in New York City carries its own complexity. Between New York State's estate tax thresholds, the density of blended and multi-generational households, and the sheer volume of assets many city families accumulate over a lifetime, a generic plan drafted without attention to your specific circumstances can leave the people you love with a mess instead of a legacy. At Jason R. Breit, Esq. P.C., we work with New York City families who want an estate plan that holds up when it's needed most — not one that sits in a drawer and quietly becomes outdated.
We serve clients throughout the five boroughs and surrounding areas from our Long Island base in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Whether you're a Manhattan professional with a complex asset picture, a Queens family navigating a blended household, or a Brooklyn couple expecting your first child, we're ready to build a plan that fits your actual life.
What Estate Planning Looks Like When It's Done Right
We don't hand you a stack of documents and send you on your way. Every engagement begins with a real conversation about your family, your goals, and what you'd want to happen if something went wrong tomorrow. From there, we build a coordinated plan that addresses the legal, financial, insurance, and tax dimensions of your situation together — not in isolation.
The services New York City clients most commonly work with us on include:
- Wills — A clear, legally sound document that names your beneficiaries, appoints a guardian for minor children, and directs what happens to your assets
- Trusts — Revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, and specialty trusts that keep assets out of probate and give you lasting control
- Power of Attorney — Authorizing a trusted person to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated
- Healthcare Directives — Documenting your medical wishes and naming a healthcare proxy who can advocate for you
- Kids Protection Planning — A dedicated planning process for parents of minor children that goes beyond naming a guardian in a will
- Asset Protection — Strategies to insulate what you've built from creditors, lawsuits, and unforeseen claims
- Elder Law and Medicaid Planning — Long-term care planning that preserves your assets and your dignity
- Special Needs Planning — Trusts and strategies that protect loved ones with disabilities without jeopardizing their benefits
Why New York City Clients Choose to Work With Us
There's no shortage of estate planning attorneys in New York. What's harder to find is a firm that treats your plan as a living document rather than a one-time transaction, charges you a fixed fee agreed to in advance, and commits to reviewing your plan with you at least every three years — at no additional charge.
We're members of the Personal Family Lawyer network, a national organization of estate planning attorneys committed to a higher standard of client service and ongoing relationships. That affiliation shapes how we approach every engagement: not as a file to close, but as a family to serve over time. New York City clients work with us because they want an attorney who will still know their name five years from now.
LIFT Planning — A Broader View of Your Financial Life
Every estate planning engagement at our firm includes LIFT Planning — a framework that examines your Lifestyle, Insurance, Financial, and Tax picture alongside your legal documents. Most estate plans address only the legal layer. LIFT planning ensures that your documents, your insurance coverage, your financial accounts, and your tax strategy are all pointing in the same direction.
For New York City families managing significant assets, employer benefits, investment accounts, and real estate across multiple jurisdictions, this kind of coordination matters. A will that doesn't account for how your retirement accounts are titled, or a trust that conflicts with your life insurance beneficiary designations, can unravel even the most carefully drafted plan. We look at the full picture so those gaps don't surface when your family can least afford them.
Our Services
Questions New York City Families Ask Us
Do I need a New York-licensed estate planning attorney, or can I work with any attorney?
Your estate plan must comply with New York State law to be valid and enforceable. Working with an attorney licensed in New York — and experienced with New York's specific estate tax rules, probate process, and trust law — is essential. We are licensed in New York and focus exclusively on estate planning, elder law, and related matters.Your estate plan must comply with New York State law to be valid and enforceable. Working with an attorney licensed in New York — and experienced with New York's specific estate tax rules, probate process, and trust law — is essential. We are licensed in New York and focus exclusively on estate planning, elder law, and related matters.New York City has a high cost of living. Does that make estate planning more expensive?
Our fees are fixed and agreed to in advance, so you'll know exactly what your plan costs before we begin. We work with families across a wide range of financial situations, and the complexity of your plan — not your zip code — determines the fee.Our fees are fixed and agreed to in advance, so you'll know exactly what your plan costs before we begin. We work with families across a wide range of financial situations, and the complexity of your plan — not your zip code — determines the fee.I live in Manhattan but my family is spread across multiple states. Can you handle that?
Yes. We regularly work with clients whose families, assets, or real estate span multiple states. We'll identify where coordination is needed and, where appropriate, refer you to trusted colleagues in other jurisdictions to ensure every piece of the plan is covered.Yes. We regularly work with clients whose families, assets, or real estate span multiple states. We'll identify where coordination is needed and, where appropriate, refer you to trusted colleagues in other jurisdictions to ensure every piece of the plan is covered.What happens to my estate plan if New York's estate tax laws change?
That's exactly why we review every client's plan at least every three years at no additional charge. Tax law changes, family circumstances shift, and asset values move — your plan should keep pace with all of it. We don't draft a plan and disappear.That's exactly why we review every client's plan at least every three years at no additional charge. Tax law changes, family circumstances shift, and asset values move — your plan should keep pace with all of it. We don't draft a plan and disappear.Can you help with probate if a family member passes away without a will?
Yes. We handle probate administration for New York estates, including situations where a loved one died without a valid will. We guide executors and administrators through the court process, asset collection, tax filings, and distributions to beneficiaries.Yes. We handle probate administration for New York estates, including situations where a loved one died without a valid will. We guide executors and administrators through the court process, asset collection, tax filings, and distributions to beneficiaries.