Probate

When you lose a loved one, the New Jersey probate process typically begins with the surrogate appointing an executor or administrator to pay debts and distribute assets. However, complex estates involving businesses or litigation often face unique hurdles. In these...

Probate in New Jersey starts at the county Surrogate’s Court, and you cannot move forward unless you bring the right paperwork. Missing even one item causes delays and adds extra stress at a time you don’t need. Here are the documents you should have ready. Death...

When you were asked by a family member or friend to be the executor of their estate, you were likely appreciative that they placed their faith in you. The reality of administering an estate, however, is often far more challenging than most people expected. Even if the...

Virtually all New Jersey residents are aware that building an estate plan around trusts instead of simply drafting a will can keep an estate out of probate. The probate process is time-consuming, expensive and fraught with potential tension and stress, and avoiding...

A great deal of focus within estate planning is centered on the best way to transfer assets to children and grandchildren after the death of a loved one. For couples in New Jersey without children, a different estate planning approach is often taken, and the focus...

Organization and periodic review are two topics that should always be associated with the creation and maintenance of a proper estate plan. Without these two practices, it is all too easy for the wishes of a New Jersey resident to fall by the wayside. Over the course...

Much has been written, here and elsewhere, about the need to create and maintain a thoughtful drafted estate plan. That said, the reality is that many in New Jersey and across the nation will not address this important need, and their heirs will be forced to go...

One of the most common objections that New Jersey attorneys hear in regard to creating an estate plan involves the belief that an individual or family with only a moderate or modest level of wealth has no need to create such a plan. This, however, is far from true....

Many New Jersey readers are likely familiar with the life and artistic work of singer and guitarist Lou Reed. Once the frontman for The Velvet Underground, Reed had a long and prolific musical career that amassed a significant fortune. His death in 2013 and his...

Many individuals in new Jersey take the necessary steps before they die to create a comprehensive estate plan, which can include a will. A will simply dictates how one's assets are distributed among family members, friends and others. A will is created by most people...