The administration of an estate in New York requires that the Court find that it has jurisdiction to consider the matter being presented to it. Whether the case involves the probate of a Last Will and Testament or the settlement of an intestate estate, the Surrogate’s Court must be satisfied…
There are many factors to be considered in connection with the appointment of a Guardian for personal needs and property management pursuant to Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law. A recent post in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog discussed the requirement that clear and convincing evidence be presented…
Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law provides the statutes regarding the appointment of a property management and personal needs Guardian. A Guardianship lawyer is aware that these proceedings focus on a number of factors before a Court determines that a Guardian should be provided. First and foremost, the inquiry…
The settlement of a New York estate can be very complicated and involve many different issues. In fact, due to various problems, some estates may take years for estate settlement. However, there are three basic components to the process of administering an estate. First, there are proceedings concerning the appointment…
Estate planning is very important and may be accomplished by the creation of a number of documents. These papers include a Last Will and Testament and a lifetime trust which may be revocable or irrevocable. Advance directives in the nature of a Living Will, Power of Attorney and Health Care…
There are some very basic rules regarding the handling of a New York estate. Initially, a determination needs to be made as to whether or not a decedent had a Last Will and Testament or died intestate. If there is a Will, then a probate proceeding is filed with the…
Kinship in New York is always an important factor affecting estate settlement. Most of the proceedings in the Surrogate’s Courts require that a decedent’s distributees or next of kin be included as interested parties. For instance, where a person dies intestate without a Last Will and Testament, the estate is…
The settlement of an estate in New York involves many facets. Of course, in its initial phase, the appointment of a fiduciary such as an executor or administrator needs to occur. Thereafter, the fiduciary engages in the process of identifying and collecting assets, paying or resolving claims, debts or other…
A very common issue that arises in estate litigation concerns pre-death transfers of assets. When a person prepares a Last Will and Testament, this document only controls assets which are owned by a decedent at the time of death. If an asset is transferred or re-titled into the name of…
When an executor or administrator is appointed to settle an estate, there are many tasks which need to be accomplished. Among the most basic fiduciary duties is the collection of assets and the resolution or payment of the decedent’s debts and monetary obligations. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog discusses…