The New York estate settlement process involves many different requirements and responsibilities. An Executor is the person or institution appointed by the Surrogate’s Court to administer or carry out the terms or provisions in a Last Will. The responsibilities of a person named as Executor begins immediately after the death…
Attorneys familiar with probating a Last Will throughout New York, such as in the Bronx and Brooklyn, are often confronted with issues that result in Court litigation. Many of these controversies involve family disputes and disagreements that have origins many years before the death of the decedent. Once a person…
A recent survey posted on The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch website found that while Americans believe that estate planning and wills are important, they do not have the documents in place for themselves. Residents of Queens and Brooklyn, particularly those owning homes, should not leave the disposition of their assets…
CNN recently reported about a woman whose aunt gave nearly her entire estate of $300,000 to Family Radio, the non-profit California station that broadcast unsuccessful predictions about the end of the world. Contested wills in New York probate court can be difficult because they require specific requirements other than a…
The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has talked about many different situations where disputes and competing interests among family members can arise. For example, when a person prepares his or her estate plan many decisions must be made regarding the details and provisions in documents such as a Last Will,…
The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has discussed on a number of occasions the many problems created when a person dies without a Last Will and Testament. One of the major issues faced in estate settlement and estate administration in such cases is determining the identity of the decedent’s distributees…
Imagine the emotion of having a parent or relative die and then deal with the shock of being left a large sum of money as an inheritance. Many would not consider it a burden. However, without the proper plan to handle that kind of change in your life, you could…
New York estate planning requires the consideration of many different facts and circumstances. Paramount in importance is a person’s planning desires which require identifying the beneficiaries, such as relatives, friends and charities, who are to share in the plan. Also, the various types of assets such as real estate ,…
New York Estate Planning requires the consideration of many different topics. To begin with, knowing the nature and value of one’s assets is imperative. Some assets such as joint bank accounts will pass to the joint owner by operation of law. Assets held in the name of the decedent or…
The New York probate of a Last Will essentially requires the determination by the Surrogate’s Court that the Will is a valid document to provide for the transfer of the decedent’s estate. When a Will is admitted to probate, the Will becomes effective and estate assets are distributed as specified…