Planning for your future, and what happens after you are gone, is often an emotional and stressful process.  At Monaco Cooper Lamme & Carr, we understand that the mere subject of wills, trusts, and estates can leave people on edge. It is a difficult topic for many people to address on a personal level and we stand by you to meet the unique and sensitive needs of every client.  

Accomplished Wills and Estates Attorneys  

Our attorneys provide attentive counsel in a manner that is authentic, direct, and honest. It has never been more important to have someone you can trust for your personal matters. We are by your side to advise, counsel, and protect you and what you hold valuable.

Planning for your future is difficult and we stand with you to help develop an estate plan and remain vigilant through the administration and probate stages. Our services include will, trusts, durable power of attorney, health care proxies, trust administration, will contests and proceedings, estate probates, fiduciary disputes, and litigation. 

Monaco Cooper Lamme & Carr aims to provide you with accessible, high quality, cost-conscious legal services – managing things now for a sound future and beyond.

Wills and Trusts

It is rare that a person would purposely choose to have the State of New York determine how an estate is distributed upon death, but that is precisely what will happen if you die without a will. Your will identifies the most important things in your life – your family, your children, your assets from a lifetime of hard work – and designates whom you trust to oversee your affairs after your gone. Make your wishes clear – create a legally binding will.  Consider:   

• Who will raise your minor children?
• Who will inherit your money and property and in what proportion?
• Who do you trust as your executor to distribute your estate to your beneficiaries?

Trusts and Estate Planning

Our sophisticated attorneys can protect your assets through a number of estate planning methods, including:

Probate and Estate Administration 

If a loved one has died, we know this is a difficult time. We are here to help you through the estate administration, New York probate, and the inheritance process. We work with executors and beneficiaries through the probate and estate administration process to carry out the decedent’s estate plan, including assisting with the transfer of assets and resolution of claims.

Preserving Family Wealth

When representing high net-worth clients, we focus on your wealth management needs to plan, preserve, and protect your family, business, and financial interests. Our services include asset conservation and preservation, charitable planning, gifting, succession planning, estate and gift taxes, and administration of trusts and estate probates.  

Advanced Directives 

When your health leaves you unable to speak for yourself, properly prepared advance care directives can ensure that your health care wishes are known and honored. Our attorneys can prepare your legally binding:

• Health Care Proxy
• Living Will
• Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order 
• New York State Organ and Tissue Donor Registry

Estate Taxes

A wise man once said, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes” and taxes are unquestionably a large part of estate planning and probate. Our attorneys work with tax experts and financial institutions to create sound estate tax planning and probate services, including those involving New York State estate tax and Federal estate tax (including wealth transfer taxes, the estate tax, the gift tax, the GST tax). 

Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution 

The attorneys at Monaco Cooper Lamme & Carr are accomplished, recognized and skilled litigators, experienced in representing executors, trustees, and beneficiaries in cases where a will or trust is contested. Some clients look to resolve disputes through alternative methods, such as mediation and arbitration, as it is sometimes a more collaborative, and less adversarial, process to litigation. Our attorneys can facilitate a resolution to your estate dispute in a cost-conscious manner.