About Our Firm

We are a boutique trusts and estates law firm with a strong emphasis on organization, communication, and customization.  We advise our clients on all aspects of estate planning—from matters relating to reducing estate tax liability, to long-term care planning, to asset management protection, to the transition of wealth to subsequent generations. In addition, we handle matters related to Trust administration and probate. 

Although estate planning includes the preparation of Wills and Trusts over time, we have become known for our Trust planning expertise. Regardless of the size of your estate and whether you seek our services to create an estate plan that is based upon the creation of your Will or a living Trust or more advanced Trust planning strategies, we have the skills to help you unwrap complicated matters and the knowledge and experience to find practical solutions.   

Unquestionably, a great deal of our time is spent on maintaining clear communication and educating our clients.  We spend the time necessary to help clients identify the emotional and financial concerns that may be driving them to create an estate plan.   As educators, we distill complex topics into the basic terms to ensure that clients understand the implications of proposed strategies before their plan is finalized.  

We are detailed oriented.  Our procedures are organized and defined before representation begins.  We want our clients to know what they can expect from our office and what they will need to provide to ensure that we can finalize their plan within a 4-6 week timeframe. We find our process helps our clients organize their estate planning objectives and yields the best outcome.

Here is a snapshot of what you can expect when you contact our office.

Consultation Process:

When you contact our office, we request that you schedule an appointment for an estate planning consultation.   It is an opportunity for us to meet in person so that you can gain more information about our firm and our procedures and explore potential solutions that can be created to address your estate planning objectives.      

The consultation is one hour, and if you decide to engage our legal services to create your estate planning documents, the payment of the consultation fee will be applied as a credit towards our flat fee structure for estate planning.

To make the best use of your consultation we request that you complete our pre-consultation form in advance of your appointment.  The more information that you disclose about the value of your estate and the type of concerns that you wish to address will have an impact on the recommendations that can be made during the consultation by our attorney.         

 Types of Concerns We Help Address:   

• My spouse and I just had our first child- how can we appoint a guardian?  And does the guardian need to be a U.S. citizen?
• Do I need to change my estate plan during or after my divorce?  And do I need to create a Trust to protect my child’s inheritance?  
• I own international property – what kind of impact does this have on my estate? 
• I own property in several states – is there a way to avoid probate in each state? 
• I have a blended family – how can I protect my spouse upon my passing and plan for my children? 
• I have a special needs child – how should I plan for their future and how can I preserve their inheritance? 
• What types of issues should I be thinking about to protect my wealth if I am single and do not have children? 
• How can I remove the value of my life insurance from my estate?
• How can I create an estate plan and distribute my assets equally to my children when my major asset is my business?
• What if my spouse is not a citizen of the United States- will this impose a tax burden? 
• Are there ways to reduce tax liability by creating a charitable Trust during my lifetime? 
• How to gift to my grandchildren and avoid Generation-Skipping Tax? 
• What is the best way to organize my estate so that it does not cause a burden for my children when I pass?
• Is there a way to protect the value of my home and my assets if I may need nursing home care down the road? 
• How can I appoint a trustee or executor or a health care proxy when my network of friends and family is limited? 
• I have significant wealth and I’m in a long-term relationship – what are the tax advantages of marriage that I should consider?  
• How to avoid New York State estate tax liability?      
• I am concerned that my children are incapable of managing the money I leave them, is there a way to protect their inheritance?
• I want my estate to pass to my children and grandchildren and not my son or daughter­ in-law- what are my options?
• What is the difference between a revocable Trust and an irrevocable Trust and what is the best option for me?
• My husband is deceased, I do not have children and I do not know the whereabouts of my heirs at law- what will be required by the Surrogate’s court to probate my will, and should I think about Trust planning? 

Fee Structure 

We offer a fixed fee structure for estate planning.  We believe it is important to provide transparency from the beginning so that you will know the financial cost associated with the creation of your estate plan before representation begins.     

Our fee structure for legal services related to estate and Trust administration is either based on our hourly rate or a fixed fee depending upon the complexity of the estate. The options are discussed with the executor if it is a probate matter or the Trustee if it is a Trust. 

Time Frame:

Our goal is to prepare your estate planning documents within a 4 -6 week timeframe from the date of the execution of your estate planning engagement agreement.  We will provide you with a detailed outline of what will be needed from you and what you can expect from our office to ensure that we adhere to our timeframe.  It will also help you organize your thoughts and objectives.  Additional time may be needed if you have a sizable estate and require advance trust planning. 

Review of Estate Planning Documents 

Although we take a comprehensive approach to estate planning to ensure long-lasting results, we recommend clients review their plan periodically, at least every 3 years if not sooner to account for changes in circumstances or changes in the law that may cause ramifications if overlooked. 

Electronic Storage of Health Care Documents Planning Documents 

We offer a complimentary DocuBank membership with your estate plan to ensure easy access to your health care proxy, advance directive, and other vital medical information in case of an emergency.  DocuBank provides an emergency wallet card that is key to accessing your documents.  It is available 24/7 and is worldwide.

We know that the process of creating an estate plan can be overwhelming because there are so many options that can be incorporated into a client’s plan.  That is why Amato Law, PLLC offers various resources including different types of reports that may help explain what options are appropriate for you to consider.  To retrieve our free reports, go to  Estate Planning Reports.  We want you to feel confident about the choices you make—let us be your guide on the path toward preserving your family’s future.