Probate is a term that refers to the legal process of distributing a deceased individual’s estate. This process includes demonstrating the validity of the Last Will and Testament or disbursing the property in cases where there is no will. Cases in Which Probate Is Unnecessary There are times when the probate process is not necessary....

Probate is the court monitored process of administering an estate after a person has passed away. You may have heard that it can be a good idea to try to avoid probate, which can be accomplished during the estate planning process. At this point, however, you may be wondering why it can be so...

There are many layers to estate planning and definitely more than most people are aware of. Most people think of estate planning as the transfer of ownership of property after a person dies. While there is more to it than that, it is true and it is a major part of estate planning....

Q: Can an Executor pay beneficiaries whenever he or she wants? When sitting down with a New York or New Jersey estate planning attorney to make a comprehensive estate plan, you’ll be deciding many important things that impact not only the end of your life and the financial future of your loved ones, but...

Q: How can having many accounts or joint accounts impact estate planning and administration? When New York and New Jersey estate planning attorneys meet with a client to craft a comprehensive estate plan, they begin a fact-finding mission that examines the individual’s unique lifestyle, their assets and debts, their goals and plans, their worries and...

Q: What does an Executor of an estate have to do? When executors are depicted in the movies, there is generally drama surrounding the estate they are in charge of administering. In real life, there may or may not be drama over the executor’s duties--and much depends on decisions made during the estate planning process. In...

What should I do before I die?

There was a popular song a few years back by Tim McGraw encouraging people to live like they were dying. That sentiment – – to make the most of every minute of your life – – has a led many to create “bucket lists” of things they want...

New York and New Jersey estate administration attorneys know that regardless of how well someone may (or may not) have planned their estate before passing, helping an executor through the probate process is an opportunity to bring comfort and to ease the stress on the executor. Often, went a testator makes their last will...

Many people who die in prison, especially those incarcerated for decades, may die leaving estates with little to no value. Some may not even have a will. But if they own anything that doesn’t pass automatically to the heirs, or if their estate has the potential of coming into money after their death, their...

Q: Does an estate ever have to sue someone?

When someone creates a last will and testament, commonly called a “will”, they name a trusted person to be the executor. That’s the person who will, with the help of an estate administration attorney, be charged with the responsibility of collecting and managing...