Article 81 of the New York Mental Hygiene Law contains the provisions regarding the appointment of a Guardian. As discussed in earlier posts in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog, when a person is found to be incapacitated the Court can appoint a Guardian for personal needs and also for…
New York Probate Lawyer Blog
A New York Supplemental Needs Trust May Be Approved by the Court To Hold Guardianship Assets
A Supplemental Needs Trust (“SNT”) is a trust that is typically created to provide a protected fund for persons who receive benefits from governmental sources. Ordinarily, if an individual is the recipient of benefits from Medicaid or social security disability or other governmental programs, the receipt of private funds by…
New York Will Contests Involve Discovery of Information
There are many types of proceedings that occur relating to a decedent’s estate. One of the most common matters involves the probate of a Last Will and Testament. New York estate lawyers are familiar with the manner in which a Will is presented to the Surrogate’s Court. In the typical…
New York Estate Rights Can be Revoked by a Divorce
The estate of a decedent can be affected by many different pre-death and post death events. For example, the decedent may be involved in a lawsuit during life that is still ongoing at the time of death. It will then be up to the estate Executor or Administrator to take…
New York Guardianship Cases Can Be Contested
Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law (“MHL”) is entitled “Proceedings for Appointment of a Guardian for Personal Needs or Property Management”. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has posted many discussions regarding the process of having a Guardian appointed for an incapacitated person. The statute provides that the Court…
New York Real Estate Ownership Can Complicate Estate Settlement
The estate of a New York decedent contains many different types of assets. One of the most important items of ownership in an estate is real estate. These interests commonly constitute one of the estate’s most valuable assets. Since real estate holdings are so valuable and because the laws concerning…
New York Executors Should Protect A Decedent’s Real Estate Interests
A New York Executor and Administrator each have many fiduciary obligations. Earlier posts in this blog have discussed the need for estate representation to identify and collect the assets of an estate. Estate Lawyers in New York are often asked by clients to provide guidance regarding real estate interests that…
Selecting a Trustee in New York Involves Important Considerations
Selecting the proper fiduciaries in estate planning is an important aspect of the planning process. When an individual creates a Last Will or Trust, the Executor or Trustee is the person who is given the responsibility to carry out the creator’s plan and protect the creator’s assets. The fiduciary has…
A New York Power of Attorney May Result in Estate and Guardianship Disputes
Many court cases and commentaries have focused on the use and problems associated with a Power of Attorney. In New York Article 5, title 15 of the General Obligations Law contains the statutes regarding a Power of Attorney (GOL Section 5-1501 seq.). The Power of Attorney can be a useful…
New York Probate Procedures Must Be Followed to Avoid Waiver of Objections
When a person dies and leaves a Last Will and Testament, the typical course to follow is to probate the Will. This Blog has published many posts concerning the probate process. The Will is filed with the Surrogate’s Court in the county where the decedent had his primary home. A…