Very often the Surrogate’s Court requires that an Executor or Administrator post a bond as a condition to their appointment as a fiduciary. A Bond in the Surrogate’s Court is typically within the discretion of the Judge. Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) Section 710 entitled “Objections which require bond from fiduciary not otherwise required to file bond”, provides various directions as to the posting of a bond.
A bond is simply a form of insurance to protect the estate creditors and beneficiaries from possible estate loses. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has discussed fiduciary bonds in earlier posts. When a person prepares a Last Will, one common provision is that the need to post a bond by the Executor is waived. On the other hand, in many intestacy administration cases, the Court requires that the Administrator post a bond as a condition to his appointment. Continue reading