New York Estate Planning Law Firm

Estate Planning Attorney

Work with an experienced New York estate planning attorney to put a complete plan in place: your will, powers of attorney, health care proxy, and a trust when it fits your goals. Flat fees, clear guidance, and a free 15-minute case review to start.

Most clients work with us remotely, so you can receive high-quality legal guidance from home without traveling to our office.

Free and confidential. No obligation.

5.027+ Google reviews
10+ Years of Estate & Elder LawFlat FeesServing All of New York

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Why families choose us

Rated 5.0 on Google by the families we serve.

More than 10 years of estate and elder law experience behind every plan, and you know your flat fee before you commit.

Jiah Kim, Esq., founder of FreedomCounsel

Your attorney

Jiah Kim, Esq.

Founder, FreedomCounsel

Legal strategy with purpose and dignity.

Founded by Jiah Kim, Esq., FreedomCounsel brings more than a decade of experience to estate planning and elder law. Admitted in New York and a member of the NYSBA Elder Law & Special Needs Section, Jiah counsels families with straightforward advice and careful, lasting planning, built on trust rather than billable hours. Most clients work with us remotely, so families across New York State can plan from home.

  • Admitted in New York
  • 10+ years in estate & elder law
  • NYSBA Elder Law & Special Needs Section
  • Serving all of New York
Free case review

The cost of doing nothing

Probate is public, slow, and has real costs, and dying without a plan hands your decisions to a court. Planning while you are healthy can help keep your home and savings in the family and keep decisions in your family’s hands.

3% to 8%
Typical court and administration costs probate can consume from an estate
A year or more
How long probate can keep a family's assets tied up in court
Public record
Probate filings are open for anyone to read; a funded trust stays private

A plan built to protect what matters

A complete estate plan is a set of documents that work together, and the difference between a plan that holds up and one that fails usually comes down to details an attorney catches.

One plan, with every document working together

A complete plan covers your will, durable power of attorney, and health care proxy, with a trust when your goals call for one. Each document is drafted to work with the others, not as a stack of separate forms.

Drafted and reviewed by an attorney

Online tools fill in blanks. An attorney with more than ten years of estate planning experience drafts and reviews every document, tailored to New York law and to your family.

Flat fees, not billable hours

Know your cost from the start. You receive an exact flat-fee quote at your free case review, before you commit. No hourly surprises, no watching the clock.

A signing done right

Improper witnessing is the most common reason do-it-yourself wills fail. Every plan comes with clear signing instructions, and attorney-supervised execution, in person or by video, is available as an optional add-on.

Beneficiary designations, not forgotten

Retirement accounts and life insurance pass outside your will, and online tools never see those forms. An attorney review of your designations is available as an optional add-on so they line up with the rest of your plan.

Plan while you are healthy

The best time to sign an estate plan is while you are well and the choices are yours. Planning now can help keep your home and savings out of probate and keep decisions in your family's hands.

How it works

  1. Free 15-minute case review

    A short, confidential call to understand your family, your assets, and what your plan needs to cover. No cost, no obligation. If you would rather start with attorney time right away, you can book a paid planning session instead.

  2. Flat-fee proposal, then we draft

    You get a clear recommendation and a written fixed price before you commit. No hourly surprises. Then an attorney drafts every document, tailored to New York law and to your family.

  3. We review, you sign

    We walk you through every document and prepare you for a proper signing under New York's witnessing rules. If you want more hands-on help, attorney-supervised signing, a beneficiary designation review, and trust funding with deed work are available as optional add-ons.

What your plan covers

Every engagement is scoped in writing, so you know exactly what your plan includes. Optional add-ons are there when you want more hands-on help, and they are priced in your quote only when you choose them.

  • Draft a last will and testament built around your family and tailored to New York law
  • Prepare a durable power of attorney so someone you trust can manage finances if you cannot
  • Prepare a health care proxy and living will that state your medical wishes clearly
  • Advise on whether a trust fits your goals, and draft it when it does
  • Trust funding support, because an unfunded trust protects nothing (optional add-on)
  • Deed work to retitle your home into a trust, when that is part of your plan (optional add-on)
  • Review of beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, which pass outside your will (optional add-on)
  • Attorney-supervised signing so every document is properly witnessed and executed (optional add-on)
  • Meet remotely, so families anywhere in New York State can plan from home

Families we’ve helped

I had the pleasure of working with Attorney Kim and her team for a Power of Attorney and Deed Transfer for my elderly parents. From start to finish, they were incredibly professional, patient, and understanding, taking the time to explain every step. Attorney Kim was especially knowledgeable and compassionate, and provided a level of care that made a difficult situation much easier to navigate. My only regret is not making an appointment sooner.

— Elayne

Jiah was extremely kind, patient, knowledgeable, and supportive when helping with my family's questions and subsequently drawing up the documents that we needed. She was very understanding when we tried to process the many legal terms and concepts, and I truly appreciate her availability and quick responses when I have reached out to her for more information. Jiah's staff was also very helpful, courteous, and timely over both email and phone. My family and I are thankful for all that Jiah Kim has helped us with, and we look forward to working with her again in the future.

— nyc2025

Jiah Kim did an excellent job in preparing our will and revocable trust. She was professional and personable.

— Harry Kafka

Jiah and her staff are great at what they do. In my matter they were able to get prompt results that would have been impossible otherwise.

— Glen Wolyner

Testimonials reflect individual experiences and do not guarantee similar results.

Common questions

What is the difference between a will and a trust?

A will directs where your property goes after you die, but it must pass through probate, the court process that proves it. A living trust holds property during your lifetime and can pass it outside probate, which is designed to save your family time and court costs. Many New York plans use both. Your free case review is where we sort out which fits your family.

What happens if I die without a will in New York?

New York's intestacy statute decides who inherits, in fixed shares set by law. That can leave out the people you would have chosen: unmarried partners, stepchildren, and close friends receive nothing under the statute. A court also chooses who administers your estate. A will puts those decisions back in your hands.

Can we keep our home out of probate?

Often, yes. A living trust that holds title to your home can pass it outside probate, and beneficiary designations can do the same for many accounts. The key is funding: an unfunded trust protects nothing. Deed work to retitle your home into the trust is available as an optional add-on when your plan calls for it.

Do I need a power of attorney and a health care proxy?

For most adults, yes. A power of attorney names someone to handle your finances if you cannot. A health care proxy names someone to make medical decisions for you. Without them, your family may need a court-appointed guardian just to act on your behalf. A complete New York estate plan includes both.

Can we really do this remotely?

Almost all of it. Your case review, planning meetings, and document review happen by video or phone from home, anywhere in New York. When it is time to sign, you get clear instructions for New York's strict witnessing rules, and attorney-supervised execution is available as an optional add-on. That step matters: improper witnessing is the most common reason do-it-yourself wills fail.

How much does it cost?

Our estate planning is flat-fee, not hourly. You receive a written fixed price at your free case review, before you commit. Optional add-on services are quoted the same way, only when you choose them. No hourly billing, no surprises, and no meter running while you ask questions.

How long does it take?

Most of the timeline is in your hands. After your case review and planning meeting, drafting usually takes weeks, not months, and we tell you the expected timeline upfront. Your signing is scheduled as soon as the documents are ready and you have reviewed them with us.

Do online wills hold up in New York?

Some do. Many fail, and the most common reason is improper witnessing at the signing. Online tools also never see the beneficiary forms on your retirement accounts and life insurance, which pass outside your will no matter what it says. With us, an attorney drafts and reviews every document under New York law, and optional add-ons cover a designation review and an attorney-supervised signing.

Want to start planning today?

The free case review is the right first step for most families, and it costs nothing. If you already know you want attorney time, you can book a paid planning session instead: $125 (15 min) or $250 (30 min), credited toward your plan if you engage within 30 days. You pick the time, prepay online, and meet by video.

Book a planning session

Protect what you’ve built. Plan today.

Talk with FreedomCounsel about a complete estate plan for your family: your will, powers of attorney, health care proxy, and a trust when it fits. Clear guidance, careful planning, flat fees. Start with a free 15-minute case review.

Free and confidential. No obligation.