Bronx Probate & Estate Planning Attorney
If you own a home or are settling a loved one's estate in the Bronx, Schwartsman Law Group can help with wills, trusts, Medicaid planning and probate.
Why Bronx families should not put off planning
Many Bronx families work for decades to buy a home, build savings and support relatives here and abroad, yet never put a plan on paper. Without a will or trust, New York's intestacy rules — not you — decide who inherits, and the Surrogate's Court process can freeze accounts and real estate for months while relatives are located and cited. Planning matters even more when a family owns a multi-family house with tenants, when children from different marriages are involved, or when a relative with special needs depends on you. A few signed documents — a will, a power of attorney, a healthcare proxy, often a trust — keep decisions in your family's hands and out of court.
Probate at the Bronx County Surrogate's Court
When a Bronx resident passes away with a will, the will must be admitted to probate at the Bronx County Surrogate's Court, 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451; without a will, the court appoints an administrator instead. The filing fee is set by estate size under SCPA 2402 and tops out at $1,250 for estates of $500,000 or more. The named executor files the original will, a certified death certificate and a petition, and every distributee must either sign a waiver or be formally cited. We prepare the papers, obtain waivers where possible, appear at the courthouse for you, and guide the executor through collecting assets, paying debts and distributing the estate. We offer flat fees for uncontested probate matters.
Protecting your home and savings from long-term care costs
Nursing-home care in New York can consume a family's savings with remarkable speed. In 2026 a single Medicaid applicant may keep only $32,396 in countable assets (a Department of Health figure that changes each year — see our New York Numbers page for the current figure), and nursing-home Medicaid reviews 60 months of past transfers; the 30-month look-back for community home care enacted in SSL 366 has not been implemented as of 2026, so home-care transfers are not currently penalized — a planning window that may close. A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust can shelter your house and savings if it is funded more than five years before a nursing-home Medicaid application, while you keep the right to live in the home. The earlier you plan, the more you protect; waiting until a health crisis sharply limits the options available to your family.
Trusts vs. wills for Bronx homeowners
Much of the Bronx's housing stock is two- and three-family homes and co-op apartments, and each raises its own planning issues. A will covering a multi-family house still has to pass through probate, during which rent collection, repairs and refinancing can stall. A revocable living trust lets the house pass to your heirs without court involvement and keeps a manager in place from day one. Co-ops add a wrinkle: shares are personal property and boards must approve transfers, so the trust and the building's paperwork need to be coordinated. We help you weigh a simple will against a trust-based plan for your specific situation.
Legal help in English, Spanish and Russian
Estate planning only works when you understand every word you sign. Our firm serves Bronx clients in English, Spanish and Russian, so parents and grandparents can take part in the conversation directly instead of relying on an interpreter or a bilingual grandchild. That matters when we explain how a healthcare proxy works, what powers an agent under a power of attorney will hold, or why a trust is structured a certain way. It matters just as much in Surrogate's Court, where non-English-speaking relatives are asked to sign waivers and affidavits they should genuinely understand. From the first phone call through the signing ceremony, you can work with us in the language your family is most comfortable in.
How the free consultation works
Every engagement begins with a free consultation. Bronx clients are served from our Brooklyn office at 2102 Avenue Z, Suite 305, and meetings are by appointment, phone or video, so you do not need to travel unless you want to. Call +1 212 518 3868, email ms@schwartsmanlaw.com or book online at /free-consultation/. At the consultation, founding attorney Marianna Schwartsman — a 2007 summa cum laude graduate of Fordham University School of Law with big-firm experience at Katten Muchin Rosenman and Meltzer Lippe — reviews your family and assets, explains your options and quotes a flat fee for a package such as a will, power of attorney and health care proxy. There is no obligation.
Your local Surrogate's Court
Bronx County Surrogate's Court — 851 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451. Bronx probate matters are filed at 851 Grand Concourse, near Yankee Stadium (B/D/4 trains at 161 St). Bronx estates often involve two- and three-family homes and co-ops such as Co-op City — we plan and probate both routinely, serving Bronx families from our Brooklyn office by appointment, phone, or video.
Neighborhoods we serve
Riverdale · Pelham Bay · Morris Park · Throgs Neck · Fordham · Kingsbridge · Parkchester · Co-op City · Woodlawn · City Island
Visit or call us
Manhattan office: 590 Madison Ave, 21st Floor, New York, NY 10022
Phone: +1 212 518 3868 · Email: ms@schwartsmanlaw.com
Our services in this area
Frequently Asked Questions
What is estate planning, and why is it important?
Estate planning involves creating a comprehensive plan to manage and distribute your assets in the event of incapacity or death. It ensures that your wishes are honored, protects your loved ones, and minimizes potential legal disputes. Proper estate planning can also help reduce tax liabilities and simplify the estate administration process.
What is the purpose of a trust in estate planning?
A trust is a legal entity that holds assets on behalf of beneficiaries. It allows for greater control over how assets are managed and distributed, even after your passing. Trusts can be useful for minimizing estate taxes, avoiding probate, and providing for beneficiaries with specific needs or circumstances.
What is the role of an executor in estate administration?
An executor, also known as a personal representative, is the person named in a will and appointed by the Surrogate's Court to carry out the instructions of the deceased during the estate administration process. Their responsibilities include managing assets, paying debts and taxes, distributing property to beneficiaries, and handling legal matters related to the estate.
Can I contest a will if I believe it is invalid or unfair?
Yes, you can contest a will if you have valid legal grounds to do so. Common reasons for contesting a will include lack of testamentary capacity, undue influence, fraud, or a mistake in the will's execution. Contesting a will can be complex, so it's essential to seek advice from an experienced trusts and estates attorney.
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