The assets which may be owned by a Decedent can take many forms. There may be financial items such as bank accounts or brokerage accounts. These can be pure savings held in a Decedent’s name or retirement savings in the form of Individual Retirement Accounts, a 401K or other pension…
Time and again situations arise where the circumstances and proceedings concerning an Article 81 Guardianship and estate litigation in the Surrogate’s Court intersect. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published many articles concerning the topics of Guardianship and litigation in estates. At the core of any Article 81 Guardianship…
When a person dies without a Last Will and Testament he is deemed to have died intestate. In these cases, there are specific New York estate statutes and procedures which are applicable. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published many articles concerning intestate estates as well as topics such…
The settling of a decedent’s estate in New York may be relatively straight forward or frought with problems. As has been discussed in the many articles appearing in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog, the initial steps after a decedent’s death concern whether there was Last Will and Testament to…
There are many situations where it appears that a Guardian under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law should be appointed. This statute provides for the appointment of a Guardian for Personal Needs and also for Property Management. The essence of these cases is a determination by the Court that…
As a New York Trusts and Estates and Real Estate Attorney for more than 40 years, I have come across many instances where fiduciaries must administer real estate. When a person dies one of the most valuable assets which may be part of an estate is real estate. This type…
When an individual dies, one of the first orders of business is to determine whether the decedent’s estate requires a formal settlement. In this regard, a full understanding of a decedent’s assets and affairs is imperative. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published many articles discussing the difference between…
Upon the death of a person, an initial determination needs to be made as to whether there exists a Last Will and Testament. The presence of a Will has great significance. This estate planning document typically contains written provisions concerning the manner in which a person’s probate estate is to…
The appointment of a fiduciary in New York can take many forms. When a person dies and leaves a Last Will and Testament the document typically designates the appointment of an Executor. After a Will is admitted to probate, Letters Testamentary are issued to the Executor. If a decedent does…
The establishment of an estate requires a determination as to whether a decedent died with or without a Last Will and Testament. If a Will exists the probate process follows a particular course in the Surrogate’s Court. However, if there is no Will, then the procedures and rules regarding intestate…