Your estate plan is the set of legal documents that determines what happens to your family, your home, and everything you have built — when you die or if you become incapacitated. Without one, the state has already written one for you: fixed formulas, court proceedings, and judges deciding who raises your children.
Red Knot Law handles estate planning in New York, Washington DC, and Maryland. Attorney Sunil Varghese is admitted in all three jurisdictions — so clients with property or family across state lines don't need to hire multiple firms.
How It Works
Three Steps to a Complete Estate Plan
1
Free Consultation — Understand Your Situation and Options
We review your family, assets, and state of residence. You leave with a clear recommendation — will only, trust-based plan, or multi-state plan — and a flat-fee quote. No surprises after.
2
We Draft Your Documents — Coordinated and State-Compliant
Your will, trust, power of attorney, and healthcare directive are drafted together — each document consistent with the others and with your state's current statutory requirements.
3
You Execute and Fund — We Stay With You Through Completion
We coordinate signing with proper witnesses and notarization. For trust clients, we handle the funding — retitling real estate, bank accounts, and investments into the trust. An unfunded trust doesn't work; we make sure yours does.
Services
What We Draft
Wills
Name your executor, designate guardians for minor children, and direct the distribution of your estate. The foundation of every estate plan.
Wills →
Trusts
Avoid probate, maintain privacy, and protect assets. Revocable living trusts, credit shelter trusts, special needs trusts, and more.
Trusts →
Powers of Attorney
Authorize someone you trust to manage your finances if you become incapacitated — without a court-supervised guardianship proceeding.
Powers of Attorney →
Healthcare Directives
Name a healthcare proxy and document your treatment wishes. Gives hospitals and doctors clear legal authority when you cannot speak for yourself.
Healthcare Directives →
Probate Administration
Guiding executors through Surrogate's Court (NY), Superior Court (DC), and Orphans' Court (MD). Estate settlement, creditor management, and distribution.
Probate →
Where We Practice
Three Jurisdictions — One Firm
Estate and probate law differs significantly across New York, DC, and Maryland. Select your state for jurisdiction-specific information.
Your Attorney
Estate Planning Counsel
SV
Sunil Varghese
Georgetown Law · Partner, Estate Planning
New York Bar DC Bar Maryland Bar
Sunil advises clients across all three jurisdictions on wills, trusts, and comprehensive estate plans — from a first will for a young family to a multi-trust estate tax plan for a high-net-worth client near the exemption threshold. He also advises on immigration-related estate planning needs for clients navigating both practices.
View Full Profile → Common Estate Planning Questions
Do I need a will, a trust, or both?
Most clients benefit from both. A trust avoids probate and maintains privacy; a will names guardians for minor children and catches any assets outside the trust. The right combination depends on your asset types, family situation, and state of residence — we advise on this in the first consultation.
How much does estate planning cost?
Simple wills start around $500–$1,500. A comprehensive trust-based plan typically costs $2,500–$5,000 depending on complexity. We offer flat fees and package pricing. You will know the cost before we begin — ask at your free consultation.
What happens if I die without a will?
Intestacy laws take over. New York, DC, and Maryland each have fixed formulas that distribute your estate to legal relatives — regardless of your actual wishes. Courts, not you, decide who raises your minor children, and your unmarried partner of 15 years may receive nothing.
Does a trust avoid probate?
Yes — if it is properly funded. Assets held in a revocable living trust pass directly to beneficiaries at death, without probate court. An unfunded trust provides no probate protection. We handle trust funding as part of every trust engagement.
I live in New York but own property in Maryland — which state governs my estate?
Real property is governed by the law of the state where it is located, regardless of where you live. Clients with property in multiple states may need planning in each jurisdiction. Because we are admitted in New York, DC, and Maryland, we handle multi-state plans without referring you out.
Ready to protect your family? Schedule a free consultation or select your state above for jurisdiction-specific information.
Estate Planning Notice: Estate planning laws vary by state and change frequently. This website provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. A consultation with an attorney licensed in your state is required for legal advice tailored to your situation. Wills and trusts must be executed in accordance with state law or they may be invalid. The information on this site does not create an attorney-client relationship.
