New York Probate Lawyer Blog
The widow of a former New York City transit worker left her estate to four beneficiaries when she died in 2007. Unfortunately, three of them never collected on their inheritance and the fourth sits in a Florida jail cell charged with robbing the estate, the St. Petersburg Times reported.
A New York City probate lawyer can minimize such risks through proper estate planning and administration. In some cases problems still arise and can result from abusing a power of attorney or a breach of fiduciary duty.
By consulting an experienced estate attorney in New York at the earliest signs of problems, you can help minimize the risk that an estate will be violated.
In this case, the 49-year-old niece of the deceased was charged with grand theft and contempt of court after not responding to a probate judge’s order to repay tens of thousands of dollars and then missing a court date.
The 78-year-old deceased lived in New York City most of her life. Her husband worked for the transit authority and she did a variety of odd jobs, including working at the Bronx Zoo. Upon her death in 2007, court records indicate the defendant petitioned to be the estate’s representative. She allegedly failed to deposit $107,000 into a trust account after selling the decedent’s home and subsequently refused to show up for court.
New York City Probate Attorney Jules Martin Haas handles all types of probate cases, including Wills, estate planning, estate settlement, advanced directives and guardianship matters. Please call me at (212) 355-2575 for a free consultation to discuss your rights.