Articles Posted in Intestate Estate

Estate planning in New York presents many benefits for settling an estate.  The foundation for any plan is a Last Will and Testament.  This document allows a person to memorialize in writing his intentions and desires regarding the disposition of estate assets.  Provisions can be made for bequests of specific property to individuals and various shares of an estate can be allocated among family and friends.  In effect, a Will allows for a written enforceable declaration by a testator regarding distribution of assets.

Although a Will needs to be filed with the Surrogate’s Court and be admitted to probate, in most instances the probate process is not complicated by Will contests or other types of estate litigation.  The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published many articles concerning estate planning, probate and estate settlement.

Another important advantage of preparing a Will is the designation of an executor.  The Surrogate’s Court routinely accepts a testator’s nomination unless specific wrongdoing or other impropriety is shown by an objectant.  A nominated executor can be a family member or a friend or a professional advisor.  Generally, only non-resident aliens are excluded.

Estate planning in New York is important because it allows a person to create planning documents such as a Last Will and Living Trust.  Advance directives in the form of a Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy can also be made.  While these papers reflect a person’s intentions regarding the disposition of assets and personal care, they also allow the selection of fiduciaries, such as Executors, Trustees and Agents.

In situations where a Last Will is not in place, a person dies intestate.  As discussed in numerous posts in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog, an intestate decedent’s estate is distributed to his next of kin called distributees.  While the determination of kinship may sometimes be complicated and require the services of genealogists, the selection of the estate Administrator may be equally challenging and contentious.

Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act Section 1001 entitled “Order of priority for granting letters of administration,” sets forth the right of priority of persons to receive appointment as an administrator of an intestate estate.   As can be expected, a spouse has priority, then children, and then more distant relatives.  Invariably, problems arise when there are multiple candidates occupying a priority class such as children or brothers and sisters.

When a person dies without a Last Will and Testament he is known to have died intestate.  In these cases the person’s distributees or next of kin have the statutory right to inherit the estate assets.  Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL) Section 4-1.1 entitled “Descent and distribution of a decedent’s estate” provides the list of individuals who are entitled to inherit the estate.   The New York Probate Lawyer Blog contains numerous articles discussing intestate estates.

Before the estate can be settled an administrator of the estate must be appointed.  Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) section 1001. entitled “Order of priority for granting letters of administration” designates the distributees who have the priority to be appointed as estate Administrator.   Essentially, the priority under SCPA 1001 follows the inheritance rights under

EPTL 4-1.1.

When a person creates an estate plan he typically prepares a Last Will and Testament.  A Will contains a provision that nominates an Executor.  Thus, in most probate proceedings the selection of the estate fiduciary is not complicated and is controlled by the appointment made by a testator in a Will.

This situation is much different when a person dies intestate – without a Will.  In these cases where the Court is required to appoint an estate Administrator, direction must be obtained from Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) section 1001 entitled “Order of priority for granting letters of administration”.

Pursuant to this statute, the persons entitled to be appointed as Administrator are given priority based upon family relationship.  A spouse of the decedent has first priority, followed by children, grandchildren and then father and mother, brothers and sisters.  A frequent issue that arises in these cases is that there may be multiple individuals in a category who want to act as Administrator and who disapprove of the other applicants.  Since each of these persons has an equal statutory right to be appointed, it is often up to the Court to make a determination as to the appropriate appointee.  This may lead to Estate Litigation in the Surrogate’s Court.

When a person dies without a Last Will he is said to have died intestate. In these types of estates, an application or petition needs to be filed with the Court for the issuance of Letters of Administration.

Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) Section 1001 entitled “Order of priority for granting letters of administration”, lists the persons who have the right to be appointed as the estate administrator. The decedent’s surviving spouse has the initial right of appointment followed by the decedent’s children. Continue reading

When a person dies without a Last Will he is said to have died intestate. The Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) and the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL) have numerous provisions that control intestate proceedings. These provisions have been discussed in a number of earlier posts in the New York Probate Lawyer Blog.

For example, EPTL Section 4-1.1 entitled “Descent and distribution of a decedent’s estate”, sets forth the persons who have a right to receive a share of the intestate estate. As expected, a spouse and children have the primary right to share the estate. If there is no surviving spouse or child, then the next individuals in line to inherit are the decedent’s parents and, if none, to brothers and sisters. The statute then continues to provide for more remote heirs. Continue reading

When a person dies without a Last Will he is deemed to have died intestate. New York Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (“SCPA”) Section 103(28) defines “Intestate” as “A person who dies without leaving a valid will.”

The New York Probate Lawyer Blog has published many posts regarding the administration of estates where there is no Will. In these cases the decedent’s distributees (next of kin) have the right to file a petition with the Surrogate’s Court and ask to be appointed as the Estate Administrator. Continue reading