New York estate administration involves the collection of assets and the payment of the decedent’s debts and obligations. Assets may include bank accounts, financial holdings in brokerage accounts, pension funds, 401(k) accounts and life insurance. One of the major assets typically found in an estate is real estate. This asset…
Estate planning in New York is important for many reasons. Primarily, when a person plans their estate, they are ultimately creating documents and situating assets to reflect their intentions regarding the ultimate disposition of these items. Nowadays, estate planning is often viewed as a broader topic and includes papers that…
One of the most common questions that is raised following the death of an individual is whether there is a surviving spouse. This is especially so in cases where a person dies intestate without leaving a Last Will and Testament. In intestate estates, the decedent’s assets pass to his distributees…
A Last Will and Testament in New York must be admitted to Probate in order for it to become effective. The probate process involves the filing of a petition with the Surrogate’s Court along with additional documents. Persons who are identified as distributees (the decedent’s next of kin) must be…
Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law (MHL) contains the provisions regarding the appointment of a Guardian. A Guardian can be appointed for personal needs and also for property management. Generally, according to MHL 81.02 entitled “Power to appoint a guardian of the person and/or property; standard for appointment”, a…
Many articles have been written about New York estate planning when a couple is considering or entering into a divorce. The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published a number of articles on this topic in the past. However, it is important from time to time to review this information.…
One of the benefits from implementing a New York estate plan and preparing a Last Will and Testament is the ability of a testator to select an executor. This option does not exist when a person dies intestate without a Will. In such a situation, the estate administrator is determined…
There are numerous situations where a beneficiary of an estate or trust in New York is entitled to receive his distribution. An estate may be in existence where the decedent left a Last Will and Testament providing for various bequests. When a decedent dies intestate without a Will, his distributees…
Following the death of an individual, there may be a need to create a formal estate to deal with the decedent’s assets and affairs. The creation of an estate is typically either a probate estate where the decedent leaves a Last Will and Testament or an administration estate where the…
In most New York estates, there is no question or controversy as to which state law applies to estate administration. When a person who lives and maintains his primary residence in New York, the provisions of New York estate law are looked to regarding estate settlement. Thus, a probate proceeding…