The New York estate laws contain provisions concerning the various relationships between family members. There are statutes concerning spousal rights and also inheritance rights relating to other family members. For example, a New York spouse has the ability to make a claim against the other spouse’s estate if they are…
Estate settlement may involve complex issues regarding a decedent. Many of the articles appearing in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog discuss issues concerning the probate of a Last Will and Testament or the appointment of an administrator of an intestate estate. Probate and administration proceedings can take many months…
When proceedings are filed in Surrogate’s Court regarding a decedent’s estate, the primary focus is inevitably on the person who is, or is seeking to be, the estate fiduciary. In cases of intestacy, there may arise issues regarding the qualification of the individual seeking to be appointed as administrator. Similarly,…
There are many instances where a person dies intestate, without a Last Will and Testament. When this occurs, a decedent’s estate is distributed to his next of kin or distributees pursuant to the priorities established under Estates, Powers and Trusts Law Section 4-1.1 entitled “Descent and distribution of a decedent’s…
The process of administering an estate in the Surrogate’s Court may involve numerous proceedings. Initially, it may appear that only two main proceedings exist when a person dies. One type of proceeding is called probate. This situation arises when a person leaves a Last Will and Testament. A Will must…
A very common aspect in New York estate settlement and estate litigation concerns the rights of a surviving spouse. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published numerous posts concerning spousal rights and decedent’s estates. Estate lawyers in New York are aware that state statutes such as the Estates, Powers…
Estate planning in New York can include the preparation of a number of documents. A person may create a Last Will and Testament, a Power of Attorney, a Living Will, a Living or Grantor Trust and a Health Care Proxy. The most basic paper which should be considered is the…
Estate planning in New York is important for the proper disposition of a person’s assets. Planning an estate encompasses a broad array of considerations. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published many articles on this topic. Initially, the preparation of a Last Will and Testament is the central document…
There are many different rights which appear in the New York Trust and Estate laws. The basic statutes concerning estate law and procedure are contained in the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL) and the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA). A surviving spouse of a decedent benefits from a number…
An interesting aspect of New York estate law and practice is its intersection with other areas of law. For example, the New York Probate Lawyer Blog contains numerous articles discussing issues concerning the appointment of a guardian for personal needs and property management under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene…