Estate Administration & Probate

Estate planning is an exercise to ensure that our personal property is distributed to our heirs and beneficiaries in the way we see fit. For a myriad of reasons, this may be difficult for those choosing to leave property and assets to loved ones. At the same time,...

As estate administration attorneys, it is very interesting to see what family members learn about someone after they pass away. Perhaps there are long-standing, clandestine relationships or personal achievements the deceased was too humble to share. Regardless of the...

Estate planning in 2016 is not like how other generations planned how their assets would be distributed when they passed away. Indeed, people still establish wills and different forms of trusts, but with so many people having digital assets (i.e. email accounts,...

With tax season in full swing, it is not just tax payers who are concerned about filing taxes. The confusion over how to complete tax forms may not go away for executors tasked with administering an estate. Obscure and dense tax forms can be vexing; especially for...

If there are two things that remain constant through generations, they are the certainties of debt and death. Everyone has debt at some point in their lives, and everyone has an end to their life. Those who are up in age may be concerned about the amount of debt they...

Cameras on smartphones arguably changed the world. As a new form of communication, we can send an infinite number of pictures to show what we mean beyond the spoken word. We can also take and send videos of fun, tragic and even intimate moments. We can also record...

If you have learned that you have been named an executor to a loved one’s estate, congratulations. Being an executor means that the person who wrote their will saw you as someone who is responsible enough to wind up their affairs and distribute their property...

If a loved one’s will is poised to enter probate and you discover that a substantial amount of money has been left for the care of a family pet, it probably is not a misprint or a basis to challenge the will due to lack of capacity. Instead it is likely evidence of a...

To bring a successful will contest, it is important to know the basic requirements for a will to pass probate in New York state. Essentially, a valid will must exhibit mental capacity by the testator (the person making the will), testamentary intent (exhibited by the...

If you are an executor or have a loved one whose estate is ripe for disputes among beneficiaries, the prospect of going through probate may not sit well with you. After all, the notion of heirs and other beneficiaries fighting over pieces of a person’s estate is not...