New YorkAttorneyGeneralLetitia James has shut down a Saratoga Springs company she says misled vulnerable homeowners by illegally drafting “transfer-on-death” deeds — legal documents that determine who inherits a property after its owner dies.
According to a Nov. 21 settlement agreement, Eve Whalen, owner of Avoid Probate New York LLC, has dissolved the business and agreed to pay $10,730 in restitution and penalties after state investigators found she had been preparing legal documents she was not licensed to handle.
Between January and July, Whalen drafted 27 deeds for 19 clients, generating $5,730 in fees, despite having no law license or attorney supervision — a violation of New York law. Transfer-on-death deeds only became legal in New York in early 2024, and prosecutors say Whalen quickly launched her company to capitalize onpublicconfusion around the new process.
James said Whalen’s actions put families at risk by offering what appeared to be legal services without any of the protections that come with using a licensed attorney…