Throughout the Finger Lakes region, clients who need elder law or estate planning services can turn to the Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. Our legal team is proud to provide comprehensive assistance to seniors, veterans, young families, and people of all ages. From asset protection to planning for a secure future, we help you to ensure that you make full use of legal tools available under New York law to protect yourself and to protect the people who you love most.

Representing Clients in the Finger Lakes, New York

The Finger Lakes is the term given to a series of 12 lakes which extend north/south and which are long and narrow, resembling human fingers. The Finger Lakes got their names from early map makers who noticed the lakes were similar to the shape of fingers on a hand, and the name has persisted to this day.

The region has become a very popular vacation destination for tourists from all over the world, in part because the area is the largest wine producing region within New York. There are more than 100 vineyards and wineries in the Finger Lakes.

The Finger Lakes also has a very rich history, as the northern end of the Finger Lakes contains Seneca Falls. This area was the birthplace of the Woman’s Suffrage movement. The Finger Lakes was also active in the Utopian movement and there were many underground railroad sites located in the area as well.  

Today, the Finger Lakes not only offers history and beautiful vineyards to visit, but it is also the home of Cornell University in Ithaca, University of Rochester in Rochester, and numerous other fine educational institutions. Many areas throughout the Finger Lakes are not only nice places to visit, but are also attractive and safe communities where people live.

Estate Planning & Elder Law Services Around the Finger Lakes

Owning a winery or vineyard in the Finger Lakes is a dream for many. For those who reside in or own property in the Finger Lakes region, it is very important to protect your assets and to do everything that you can to ensure your family will always be taken care of. The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. can provide comprehensive assistance with understanding risks and planning the steps you need to take to try to achieve a more secure future.

Our legal team can help with all aspects of protecting your Finger Lakes property, as well as protecting yourself and your family in case the unexpected happens. We offer assistance with:

• Incapacity planning: You need to know what will occur if you get sick or injured. What kinds of medical care are you willing to undergo and when do you not want extraordinary measures used? Who should make your healthcare decisions for you and manage assets for you? These are issues that can be addressed with a living will, other advanced directives, living trusts, and a power of attorney.
• Asset protection: Whether you’re a small business owner concerned about your company being sued or you are worried about estate taxes, nursing home costs, or your heirs squandering assets after death, there are legal tools you can use to protect your property and wealth. We can help with the creation of trusts, incorporating your business, Medicaid planning for nursing home coverage, and other key steps necessary to keep your nest egg secure.
• Estate planning: Many people in the Finger Lakes want to avoid having their heirs go through probate, and want to make sure they have control over their legacy. We provide assistance using wills and trusts as well as other legal tools to make the transfer of property after your death much easier for your family.

These are just some of the different ways in which we help people throughout the Finger Lakes region. Whatever your age or your goals for the future, we can provide the advice and assistance you need to provide for your family and to achieve your dreams for your legacy.

Courts in Finger Lakes, NY Addressing Estate Issues

Many estate and elder law issues occur outside of court. There are, however, times when it becomes essential for cases to go before a judge. If someone has died without making a plan to avoid probate, for example, then the executor or personal representative of the deceased will need to move forward with the probate process. If someone has become incapacitated with no power of attorney, initiating guardianship proceedings also becomes essential.

Probate and estate matters are usually required to proceed within the court where the incapacitated or deceased person lives or lived. If someone has died and he or she owned property in multiple counties, probate would need to take place in courts in the locations where the property was owned. In particular, the case would need to arise in the appropriate Surrogates Court within New York.

The Finger Lakes region spans different counties, including Seneca, Cayuga, Cortland, Livingston, Monroe, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Schuyler, Steuben, Tompkins, Wayne, and Yates. Knowing which probate court to choose within these counties can be complicated. but the Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. can help. We understand the rules for probate, guardianship, trust administration, and other estate law matters which may take place in the Finger Lakes region and we can help with all legal proceedings that arise.

Getting Legal Help from a Finger Lakes, NY Elder Law & Estate Planning Attorney

The Law Office of Michael Robinson, P.C. provides comprehensive assistance with the estate planning process in the Finger Lakes region. Our firm is also a trusted provider of elder law services for anyone in the Finger Lakes, NY area who wants to ensure their property will always be safe and that their family will be spared from making difficult medical decisions in case of a health emergency. Give us a call today to learn more about why we are the firm that so many people choose in the Finger Lakes region when they need help with elder law issues.