Probate

A recent article in the Star Ledger addressed the issue of what a beneficiary should do when they have been assured of receiving property by will but are disconnected from the process of estate administration, have no copy of the will, and have not yet heard anything...

Although probate is not necessarily always a difficult process, many individuals want to set up their estates so that their assets avoid probate in order to save costs and avoid any possible hang-ups in distributing their assets once they die. When estate planning to...

In our previous post, we began looking at what to do when a testator's will has been lost or misplaced. As we noted, the steps to be taken depend on whether the testator has died or still alive. In this post, we'll look at what to do if the testator is deceased and...

Drafting a will that accurately reflects one's desires is a job in itself, but it isn't the end of the story. One must also ensure that one's will is going to be available upon one's death.Sometimes wills get lost or misplaced. When this happens, the steps one should...

A recent article in the Star-Ledger discussed the problems a convicted felon could potentially face in acting as the executor of a will. In short, while there are not, in New Jersey, any laws to prevent a convicted felon from serving as an executor, there may be some...

Not all wills are complicated and difficult to carry out. Many individuals find themselves in the situation where a parent dies, leaving a simple will with very few assets. To take a simple example, a will left by a husband may leave the entire estate to the wife....

In our last post, we looked at an article which gave an overview of the first steps in the process of estate administration, specifically establishing the authenticity of an estate and appointing a legal representative. In this post we will look at a brief overview of...

In our previous post, we looked briefly at the process of gathering together estate assets and paying off debts and taxes of the estate. In this post, we'll look at the final step of distribution of estate assets. The final step of probate administration is to...

A recent article on NJ.com explored the basic process of probate administration in New Jersey. Firstly, if there are no assets that are titled in decedent's name alone, there is generally no need for probate. But a will needs to be probated if there are any assets...

Last week, the judge overseeing late NFL quarterback Steve McNair's multi-million dollar estate allowed for the release of $2.5 million to McNair's widow and four sons. When McNair died in 2009, leaving an estate valued at more than $19 million and no personal will to...