After 30 years of practicing estate law in Brooklyn, I can tell you the biggest mistake middle-class families make.
They walk into my office completely unprepared.
They haven't researched their options. They don't understand the consequences of their choices. They think a simple will is enough to protect what they've spent a lifetime building.
That assumption costs Brooklyn families thousands of dollars and months of delays.
Only 24% of Americans have a will in 2025. That's down from 33% just three years ago.
The gap between what families know and what they need to know keeps widening.
What Happens When You're Unprepared
A Brooklyn family came to see me after their parents died. No will. No trust. Multiple children.
The property was on the verge of foreclosure.
They needed to sell the house to pay off debts. But they couldn't locate their estranged brother.
Everything stalled. The foreclosure clock kept ticking. One missing heir held up the entire estate administration.
A trust would have avoided all of it.
Every will must go through probate. The executor has to notify all potential heirs. That means knowing where they live and having a way to reach them.
If you can't find someone, the process stops. If they're uncooperative, it drags on. If they live across the country, it gets complicated fast.
In New York, attorney fees for probate typically run 2% to 5% of your estate's value. A $500,000 Brooklyn home could cost your family $10,000 to $25,000 in legal fees alone.
Add court filing fees and executor commissions, and the costs pile up. Money that could have stayed with your beneficiaries.
The process takes seven to nine months on average. Complex estates take longer.
Brooklyn Families Have Unique Challenges
Brooklyn's diverse population creates unique estate planning challenges. Attorneys from outside the area often miss them.
Middle-class families here have generations scattered worldwide. Job opportunities and lifestyle changes pull people away. Yet multiple generations often remain close throughout the borough and across New York City.
Some siblings live in Sheepshead Bay. Others moved to California or overseas. Some cousins stayed in Brooklyn. Others relocated to Queens or Long Island.
That geographic split changes how your estate plan should work.
When families are dispersed, I suggest trusts. There's less need for court involvement. Assets transfer directly to beneficiaries without tracking down heirs across multiple states or countries.
A trust lets you maintain control while you're alive. It ensures smooth transfers when you're gone. No probate. No public record. No waiting for courts.
What the Right Attorney Should Ask You
Most families focus on what questions they should ask an attorney.
That's backwards.
The first thing I look for is what questions the attorney asks you.
A good attorney digs into your specific situation:
Are you worried about asset protection? What would happen if you didn't have a will? If you do have one, how difficult will it be to administer?
Are your families intact? Do your children have contact with each other? Is there an immediate need if something happened to you tomorrow?
These questions reveal whether the attorney understands family dynamics or just wants to sell a standard package.
The first red flag: an attorney who doesn't follow up on family dynamics. Understanding why you want a particular estate planning tool is crucial. The only way to do that is by digging into the reasons behind your choices.
If an attorney isn't asking about your relationships, your concerns, your specific goals, they're not listening. They're processing.
The Hidden Threats to Your Estate
At our estate planning workshops in Sheepshead Bay, I walk families through who can potentially harm their estate.
Most people don't realize the threats come from multiple directions.
The government takes its share through filing fees, administration expenses, and taxes. Family members can create problems through disputes or lawsuits.
But the biggest threat most middle-class Brooklyn families don't prepare for is long-term care costs.
In New York, nursing home care costs approximately $159,000 per year. In New York City, a private room averages $13,535 per month.
That's $162,420 per year for one person.
Without proper planning, those costs wipe out everything. The house you've owned for decades. The assets you planned to leave your children. Gone.
I start these conversations by asking about their experiences. Do you know someone who needed long-term care? A family member in that situation?
Then we talk about what it costs. Then we discuss options to protect what they have.
Making it personal helps families understand the truth. Estate planning isn't just about death. It's about protecting assets while you're alive.
How to Find the Right Attorney Before You Call
If you're searching for estate planning attorneys in Brooklyn tonight, here's what to do tomorrow morning.
Start by reading the attorney's credentials, reviews, website, and reputation. Look for hundreds of verified reviews across platforms like Google, Avvo, and Yelp. Check if they've been recognized by organizations like Lawyers of Distinction or Martindale Hubbell.
Find out if they offer educational opportunities. Do they host workshops? Do they publish helpful content that actually explains estate planning concepts?
Then examine their estate planning process. A good attorney lets you have significant input throughout. Your estate plan should be tailored to you, not dictated by the attorney.
Red flags to watch for:
An attorney won't explain their process. They can't show you how they educate clients before planning. They rush you toward a decision without understanding your family dynamics.
Walk away.
Why Local Knowledge Matters
I was born and raised in Brooklyn. I'm the son of Greek immigrants. I've been a community organizer and activist here for decades.
That shapes how I practice law.
I understand the anxiety Brooklyn families feel when planning for the future. I've seen the hard work middle-class homeowners put into building something to pass to their children. I know the neighborhoods, the property values, and the challenges of navigating New York inheritance laws.
An attorney who just set up shop in Brooklyn won't have that context. They won't understand how family dynamics play out across different communities. They won't know the considerations that affect estate planning in Sheepshead Bay versus Park Slope versus Bay Ridge.
Our objective at Alatsas Law Firm is to help people when they need it. We emphasize our experiences and relate them to our clients. We know the anxiety they're feeling. Our goal is to alleviate it through education and personalized attention.
Knowledge is power. When families understand their options, the probate process, and what tools like trusts and powers of attorney actually mean, they make better decisions.
They walk into consultations prepared. They ask better questions. They recognize when an attorney is truly listening instead of just selling a package.
The Moment Everything Changes
There's a moment in the estate planning process when clients finally relax.
It's when the documents are done. The plan is funded. Everything is in place.
They give us a hug on the way out.
That hug represents the shift from anxiety to relief. From uncertainty to confidence. From worrying about their family to knowing they've protected what matters most.
That's what proper estate planning does. It transforms fear into peace of mind.
But it starts with preparation. With education. With finding an attorney who tailors your estate plan to your family's unique situation, not a template from a drawer.
Start your research tonight. Attend a workshop. Read about your options. Understand the consequences of probate.
Then find an attorney who asks the right questions, listens to your answers, and builds a plan that reflects your concerns and wishes.
Your family deserves that level of care. And your lifetime of hard work deserves that level of protection.
