In New York, when a person has a will, probate is a key part of the process of distributing their estate after they have died. It establishes that the will is valid and can be used to settle the decedent’s affairs. It also assesses the facts before allowing probate. A...
Probate
Voluntary Administration: A simpler alternative to probate
Sometimes a person in New York dies without much to their name. If so, their estate upon their death may qualify for the Voluntary Administration process, which is a quicker and simpler alternative to formal probate proceedings. What is Voluntary Administration? In...
Executors have many responsibilities when settling an estate
People often name close family members to be the executors of their estates. These are people they trust and love and not necessarily someone who has personal knowledge of the probate process. Executors have a very important responsibility for settling the estate in...
What happens to the vacation home in probate?
Your family may enjoy the vacation home over in Cape Cod, or perhaps even a beachfront property down in the Carolinas. Whether it is a place to vacation in the summer or to escape the New York winters, it may be a haven where your family gathers together. However,...
What are the responsibilities of an executor?
The executor of a will has several important responsibilities when enforcing a New Yorker’s will and administering an estate. In cases where a person dies without a will, the appropriate Surrogate’s Court will appoint an administrator of the estate. Although this...
What should you do if you can’t find your mother’s will?
The death of a mother or father is an emotional time for New York residents. Besides having to grieve their parent a child will also need to deal with their estate. This can be very complicated and if a child cannot find their parent’s will, it can make the probate...