Estate Planning Attorney in Locust Valley, NY

Your Family's Financial Security Starts Here

Long Island families trust us for comprehensive estate planning that protects what matters most—your home, your savings, and your loved ones’ future.

Comprehensive Estate Planning Services

Avoid Probate Court and Family Disputes

Your Long Island home is probably your biggest asset. Your retirement accounts represent decades of hard work. Without proper planning, New York’s intestacy laws decide where everything goes—not you.

That means months in probate court. Legal fees that eat into your children’s inheritance. Family arguments when everyone’s already grieving. And if you become incapacitated, the court appoints someone to make decisions about your care and finances.

With a comprehensive estate plan, your wishes are legally protected. Your family avoids probate entirely. Your assets transfer directly to the people you choose. The right person has immediate authority to handle your affairs if you can’t. No court involvement, no delays, no unnecessary costs.

Locust Valley Estate Planning Lawyers

Award-Winning Long Island Estate Planning Team

We have been voted as a highly rated North Shore, Suffolk County Law Firm by TBR News Media readers. Our managing attorney Rachel Katz received the Long Island Business News Executive Circle Award for leadership and community service.

We understand Long Island’s unique challenges. Home values in Nassau County average over $700,000. Nursing home care costs exceed $15,000 monthly. Many families have substantial wealth tied up in real estate that needs protection from creditors and long-term care costs.

Our founder Cheryl Fratello is accredited for Veterans benefits and completed specialized Alzheimer’s care training. We regularly lecture throughout Long Island communities and teach at local law schools. This isn’t just our profession—it’s our calling to help families navigate life’s most important transitions.

Estate Planning Process

From Consultation to Complete Protection

We start with a free consultation at our office, your home, or by video call. You’ll speak directly with an attorney who listens to your concerns and explains your options in plain English.

During our planning meeting, we review your assets and discuss strategies that fit your goals. Want to protect your Locust Valley home from nursing home costs? We’ll show you how asset protection trusts work. Concerned about taxes? We’ll explain the federal estate tax changes coming in 2026.

Once you’re ready to proceed, we prepare all documents—wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives. We handle the legal complexities while keeping you informed. After signing, we guide you through asset titling and beneficiary updates to ensure everything works together.

Your plan evolves as your life changes. We provide ongoing support and proactive updates when laws change. Many clients become multi-generational relationships as we help their children and grandchildren with their own planning.

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Estate Planning Services Locust Valley

Complete Protection for High-Value Estates

Living in Locust Valley means dealing with valuable real estate, complex family situations, and the reality that quality long-term care is expensive. Our services address these local realities with proven strategies.

We create comprehensive plans including wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. For families with significant assets, we implement advanced strategies like asset protection trusts and family limited partnerships that shield wealth from creditors and lawsuits.

Our Medicaid planning is particularly valuable given Nassau County’s high care costs. We help structure estates to protect homes and savings while ensuring access to quality care. With nursing home costs often exceeding $180,000 annually, proper planning can save families hundreds of thousands of dollars.

We also handle probate, estate administration, and trust management. When families face unexpected challenges, we provide compassionate guidance through complex legal processes. Our bilingual services in Spanish ensure all family members understand their options and rights.

How much does estate planning cost in Locust Valley, NY?

Estate planning costs vary based on your specific needs and asset complexity. A basic will and power of attorney package typically ranges from $1,500 to $3,000. Comprehensive plans with trusts and advanced tax strategies range from $3,000 to $8,000 or more. We provide transparent pricing during your free consultation so you know exactly what to expect. Most clients find that proper planning costs far less than what their families would spend on probate proceedings or nursing home care without a plan. Consider this: probate in New York typically costs 3-5% of your estate value. For a $500,000 estate, that’s $15,000-$25,000 in legal fees and court costs. A comprehensive estate plan that avoids probate entirely costs a fraction of that amount while providing much better protection.

Do I need a trust if I live in Locust Valley?

Most Long Island families benefit from trust planning, especially given the high property values in Nassau County. If you own real estate worth more than $200,000, have retirement accounts, or want to avoid probate, a revocable living trust provides significant advantages. Trusts avoid the public probate process and provide better privacy and control over asset distribution. They’re particularly valuable for Long Island residents because they protect assets from creditors and lawsuits—important considerations given the litigious nature of our local business environment. For families concerned about long-term care costs, irrevocable trusts can protect assets from Medicaid spend-down requirements. With nursing home care in Nassau County exceeding $15,000 monthly, asset protection trusts can preserve hundreds of thousands of dollars for your family while ensuring access to quality care.

What happens if I become incapacitated without estate planning documents?

Without proper documents like a power of attorney and healthcare proxy, your family must petition Nassau County Surrogate’s Court for guardianship. This process typically takes 3-6 months and costs $5,000-$15,000 in legal fees and court costs. The court appoints someone to make financial and medical decisions for you, but it might not be the person you would have chosen. Your family has no immediate authority to pay bills, access accounts, or make healthcare decisions during this lengthy process. With proper planning, you avoid this entirely. A durable power of attorney allows your chosen agent to handle financial matters immediately. A healthcare proxy ensures your medical decisions are made by someone who knows your values and wishes. These documents cost a few hundred dollars to prepare but can save your family thousands in court costs and months of stress.

How often should I update my estate plan?

Review your estate plan every three to five years or after major life changes like marriage, divorce, birth of children or grandchildren, significant asset changes, or moving to a different state. New York estate planning laws change periodically, and federal tax laws are constantly evolving. The federal estate tax exemption is scheduled to decrease from $13.61 million to approximately $7 million per person in 2026. This change may affect your planning strategies, especially if you have substantial assets or own valuable Long Island real estate. We provide ongoing support to our clients and contact you when law changes might affect your plan. We also offer complimentary plan reviews every three years to ensure your documents remain current and effective. This proactive approach ensures your plan continues to protect your family as circumstances change.

Can estate planning help protect my assets from nursing home costs?

Yes, but timing is crucial. Medicaid has a five-year look-back period, so asset protection strategies must be implemented well before you need long-term care. The earlier you plan, the more options are available to protect your assets. Strategies like irrevocable trusts, asset protection trusts, and proper asset titling can help preserve your home and savings for your family. We also help with Medicaid applications and can structure your finances to maximize eligibility while protecting assets for your spouse. Given that nursing home care in Nassau County often exceeds $180,000 annually, proper Medicaid planning can save your family hundreds of thousands of dollars while ensuring access to quality care. We’ve helped families protect their Locust Valley homes and substantial savings through strategic planning that complies with all Medicaid requirements.

What makes Fratello Law different from other estate planning attorneys?

We focus exclusively on estate planning, elder law, and related services, which means we stay current on all the latest strategies and law changes. Our team has specialized training in areas like Veterans benefits and Alzheimer’s care that many general practice attorneys lack. We’re also deeply rooted in the Long Island community. We understand Nassau County’s high property values, the cost of local care facilities, and the unique challenges facing families in our area. This local knowledge helps us provide more relevant and effective planning strategies. Most importantly, we build long-term relationships with our clients. We’re not just preparing documents—we’re helping families navigate life’s transitions with confidence and peace of mind. North Shore Law Firm has been voted as being highly rated and maintain that reputation through personalized service and proven results. Many of our clients become multi-generational relationships as we help their children and grandchildren with their own planning needs.

Local Resources

Locust Valley, NY is located in Nassau County in New York State

Estate Planning Attorney in Locust Valley, NY

Your Family's Financial Security Starts Here