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Summary Of Services:

Guardianships:
Among the most effective ways of protecting the person and property of incapacitated people in the State of New York is by obtaining a court-ordered guardianship permitting you to take control of a loved one's assets and personal needs. The New York State guardianship law is very comprehensive and progressive and enables the guardian to engage in all aspects of property management and all aspects of managing the individuals personal needs, from asset management to medical treatment decision making. The Law Firm has substantial experience in guardianship proceedings throughout Long Island and the five boroughs of New York City.
Contested Guardianships:
Sometimes a guardianship proceeding is brought by a person who you do not believe has your loved one's best interests in mind. In such cases, you have the right to contest the guardianship, either to claim that no guardianship is needed at all, or to make sure that the guardian appointed is either you or some other person who truly does have the needs of the incapacitated person in mind. David A. Smith wrote the chapter on contested guardianships in the New York State Bar Association's guardianship handbook, and has lectured before several county Bar Associations on the subject of contested guardianships. He also has handled many contested guardianship proceedings.

 
Estate Planning:

Many of the problems that occur when adequate estate planning is not implemented simply disappear when adequate estate planning is done in advance. The Law Firm offers a full range of estate planning services, including wills, trusts, health care proxies, powers of attorney, and living wills. Simply put, there is no substitute for adequate estate planning done in advance, and we urge all of our clients to take advantage of our estate planning services.

Estate Administration:

When a person dies, whether or not that person has a last will and testament, there usually are certain mandatory estate administration steps that must be taken. It is sometimes necessary to file an original last will and testament with the appropriate Surrogate's Court and obtain legal authority for the executor to administer the estate. When there is no last will and testament it is often required that an estate administrator be appointed by the Court. It is often required that an estate tax return be filed, even when no estate taxes are due. The Law Firm provides a full range of estate administration services.

 
 

Law Office of  David A. Smith  2003                                                                                                   contact: David A. Smith