Every family is different. A spouse who needs lifelong income security, a child with special needs whose government benefits must be preserved, or adult children inheriting near New York’s 2026 estate-tax cliff — each situation calls for a carefully chosen trust structure under NY Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL) Article 7.
How Each Trust Protects the People You Love
| Trust Type | Primary Family Benefit | Key NY Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Revocable Living Trust | Avoids Surrogate’s Court probate; lets a successor trustee manage assets if you become incapacitated | EPTL Article 7; does not reduce estate tax |
| Irrevocable Trust | Can reduce taxable estate below the $7,350,000 exclusion (2026) and avoid the 105% cliff at $7,717,500 | EPTL Article 7; 5-year Medicaid look-back applies |
| Special Needs Trust | Preserves Medicaid and SSI eligibility for a disabled child or loved one | EPTL § 7-1.12 |
A trustee managing any of these structures owes your family the prudent-investor standard and a strict duty of loyalty under EPTL Article 11-A. Unlike a will — which becomes a public court record after probate — a trust remains private. Learn more in our trust vs. will and trust administration guides.
Families across New York City, Long Island, Westchester, the Hudson Valley, and Upstate New York work with Morgan Legal Group to build plans that put loved ones first.
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Further reading from Morgan Legal Group: how an irrevocable trust works.