What a will reaches and what it misses
A will directs property held in your own name at death, names an executor, and can nominate a guardian for minor children. It does not control accounts with beneficiary designations, property owned jointly with survivorship rights, or assets already in a trust. In New York, a will also has to be signed with specific formalities, and a document that skips them can run into trouble in Surrogate's Court. Handwritten or informal wills are generally not valid here outside narrow circumstances. Because a will becomes a public court record once it is filed for probate, some people pair it with a trust for privacy.
Decisions to think through before drafting
Consider who receives specific items, such as jewelry, a car, or family heirlooms, and who receives everything else. Name an executor and a backup, and think about whether they are organized and willing, not just close to you. If you have minor children, decide who would raise them and who would manage their money, which do not have to be the same person. Think about what should happen if a beneficiary dies before you do. Bring any earlier will so that the new one can revoke it cleanly.
From conversation to signing
A first meeting usually confirms whether a will alone is enough or whether a trust, a power of attorney, and a health care proxy should be signed at the same time. We then prepare a draft, review it with you in plain language, and arrange a signing ceremony that follows New York's requirements, often with an affidavit from the witnesses that can make probate smoother later. We talk about where the original should be kept, since losing it can complicate matters for your family. A will should be revisited after major life changes, and we explain which events usually call for an update.
