Introduction
New York amended its power of attorney statute in 2021, creating a new standard form that experienced attorneys often need to modify to serve each client properly. Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. has built its elder law and estate planning practice around exactly that kind of nuance, operating from four New York locations across East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, New York City, and East Hampton. The firm handles elder law, estate planning, and power of attorney matters for New York clients navigating the legal dimensions of aging, long-term care, and wealth transfer.
The four-office structure reflects a geographic reach across Long Island and New York City, serving clients whose needs in elder law and estate planning often require in-person counsel to address complex personal and financial circumstances.
Practice Areas
Elder law addresses the distinct legal challenges that arise as people age. Burner Prudenti Law assists clients in planning for long-term care, determining eligibility for government benefits like Medicaid, and navigating guardianship proceedings when a family member becomes incapacitated. The firm advocates for aging in place where possible and provides counsel on how to structure legal affairs to support that goal.
Long-term care planning is a particularly significant component of the firm’s elder law work. The costs of assisted living, memory care, and nursing home care can rapidly exhaust assets accumulated over a lifetime. The firm helps clients structure their affairs in advance to preserve eligibility for government benefits while protecting family assets to the extent the law allows.
Government benefits eligibility counseling requires detailed knowledge of Medicaid rules and asset transfer restrictions. Errors in this planning can result in periods of Medicaid ineligibility that force families to pay privately for care they expected government programs to cover. Burner Prudenti Law provides careful guidance to avoid these outcomes.
Guardianship proceedings become necessary when a person lacks capacity to make their own decisions and has not previously established legal mechanisms to address that situation. The firm assists families in navigating these proceedings, whether seeking to establish a guardianship or contesting one.
Estate planning at the firm focuses specifically on long-term care, incapacity, and wealth transfer rather than simple document preparation. This focus means the firm addresses the scenarios that actually threaten estates: extended long-term care costs, family disputes triggered by incapacity, and the tax and administrative consequences of transferring wealth at death.
Power of attorney preparation has taken on additional complexity since New York’s 2021 statutory amendment, which created a new standard form requiring careful evaluation and frequent modification by experienced attorneys. Burner Prudenti Law specializes in tailoring power of attorney documents to include specific powers for financial management, gift-making, government benefit handling, and other authority that the standard form may not adequately address. A power of attorney that does not include the right powers or that fails to meet New York’s technical requirements can be rejected by financial institutions or government agencies at the moment it is most needed.
Attorney Profiles
Attorney information for Burner Prudenti Law was not specified in available sources beyond the firm name and its four-location structure. The practice’s concentrated focus on elder law, estate planning, and New York power of attorney law reflects a specialized firm rather than a general practice.
Location and Service Area
Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. operates from four New York locations:
East Setauket, New York
Westhampton Beach, New York
New York City, New York
East Hampton, New York
The firm serves clients across Long Island and the New York City metro area.
Client Focus
The firm serves older adults and their families who need legal counsel on the practical and legal dimensions of aging. This includes individuals planning for future incapacity, families managing the affairs of an incapacitated relative, and clients seeking to structure their estates in ways that account for long-term care costs.
The 2021 New York power of attorney law changes created immediate demand for attorneys who understand the new requirements, and the firm has positioned itself as a resource for clients whose existing documents may need review or whose new documents must be drafted to meet the amended standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did New York’s 2021 power of attorney law change?
The 2021 amendment created a new standard form for New York powers of attorney. This form often requires modification by an experienced attorney to include the specific powers each client needs, such as financial management, gift-making authority, and government benefit handling.
What government benefits does the firm help clients access?
The firm assists with Medicaid eligibility planning, which is critical for clients who may need long-term care and want to preserve assets while accessing government-funded care.
What areas does the firm serve?
The firm serves clients from offices in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, New York City, and East Hampton, covering Long Island and the New York City metropolitan area.
Does the firm handle guardianship cases?
Yes. Burner Prudenti Law assists clients in establishing guardianship over incapacitated family members and in contesting guardianship proceedings.
Closing
Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. brings four-location New York coverage to elder law, estate planning, and power of attorney matters. The firm’s attention to New York’s evolving power of attorney statute and its focus on long-term care planning provide clients with legal counsel calibrated to what aging populations actually need.
For more information, visit burnerlaw.com/