Clients across New York — from Manhattan to Long Island, Westchester, the Hudson Valley, and Upstate — come to Morgan Legal Group with the same core questions before scheduling a consultation. Here are honest answers grounded in current New York law.
What New Yorkers Ask Most
| Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|
| Will a living trust cut my estate taxes? | No. A revocable living trust keeps assets in your taxable estate. It avoids probate and protects privacy, but it does not reduce NY estate tax. |
| What does reduce estate taxes in 2026? | An irrevocable trust structured to remove assets from your estate — critical if your estate approaches the 2026 NY exclusion of $7,350,000 (cliff at $7,717,500 under Tax Law § 952). Crossing the cliff eliminates the entire exemption. |
| Can a trust protect a disabled family member’s benefits? | Yes. A Special Needs Trust under EPTL § 7-1.12 preserves Medicaid and SSI eligibility. |
| How is Medicaid planning different? | Irrevocable Medicaid trusts are subject to a five-year look-back period. Timing matters enormously. |
| Trust vs. will — which do I need? | Often both. A will is public and passes through Surrogate’s Court; a trust is private and avoids probate entirely. |
| Who watches the trustee? | Trustees owe fiduciary duties — prudent-investor standard (EPTL Article 11-A), loyalty, and annual accounting — enforced by trust administration law. |
Schedule a Consultation
Every estate is different. Book a 30-minute call with Russel Morgan, Esq. to get a plan built for your specific situation under New York law.
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