Chestnut Ridge, NY Estate Planning Law Firms & Lawyers

Hello. My name is Damien. I am an attorney in New York City.   I understand you are unhappy with your Last Wills and Testaments. Generally, you could either have someone draft new Wills or attempt to modify the Wills as you were mentioning through a Codicil, which is an additional document that requires the same statutory execution (signing) requirements. Because of the type of software that an attorney can use now to draft Wills, it is rare to use a Codicil in today's day and age. One reason is the chance the Codicil could be lost and/or later challenged and depending on the number of changes it could confuse the issues.  Basically, the cost would be the same. So, the best practice in most cases now is to draft new Wills, revoking the previous Wills rather than attempt to modify them with a Codicil.  It is up to you how you would want to proceed.    If you need any assistance, a New York Trusts & Estates Attorney could help you. If you wish to speak on the phone  to further discuss it, you can call Damien Bosco, P.C. at (646) 452-7082 or email me at DamienBoscoEsq@gmail.com

Legally, you do not have to hire an attorney to do a will. If you use a form obtained in a store or on a website - it's ok but I can almost guarantee that the Will will not be properly executed, witnessed, etc. and hence not be admitted to probate. Better to hire a lawyer.

You are generally entitled to dispose of your separate assets (e.g. premarital or inherited) however you choose; however, in order to do so, it is advisable to create an estate plan that makes your wishes clear. I recommend you consult with an attorney to discuss your wishes in greater detail.