You can carefully put together a very precise and well-thought out estate plan, but what happens with after your death is something completely out of your control. No matter how hard you try to control things within the laws of New York, your family can also put a kink in your plans. This is especially true if you have a lot of bickering and issues going on within your family. If you find yourself in this situation, then you need to figure out how to handle that before you die.
Forbes suggests addressing issues head on so they do not ruin your estate plans. You need to talk to every family member, even if you do not feel they will create a problem. You want to be sure everyone understands why you made the decisions you made. Feel out the situation. Answer questions and address any objections. You need to make sure that you smooth things over as much as possible.
If there is a family member who is very unhappy with your decisions, he or she could easily bring up objections or even contest your estate when it goes to probate. This can hold things up and create problems for your heirs, which is what you want to avoid.
If, in speaking with your family, you find issues with your estate plan, then make sure to update it as needed. Getting your plan in place is important, but making sure it is legally solid is essential to avoid trouble when it goes into probate. This information is for education and is not legal advice.