NYC Probate Attorney

A NYC Probate Attorney can help you prove the validity of a Last Will & Testament. An experienced New York probate attorney, such as the attorneys at RK Law PC, can help you understand the probate process, walk you through probating a Will in New York, and assist you if there is a Will Contest or a need for Estate Litigation.

(When there is no Will, then you need to proceed with intestacy. Please visit our Estate Administration page when you do NOT have a Will but need help Administering an Estate.) We can also help you avoid probate by engaging in prudent and proper estate planning.

What is Probate and How can a NYC Probate Attorney Help You?

Probate is the process of proving one’s Will. Probate literally means “to prove” in Latin. When a person dies leaving a Will, that person’s nominated Executor should take the Will, the Death Certificate, and the standard packet of Probate forms to the Surrogate’s Court in the County where either i) the Decedent died; or ii) the Decedent left property. The Surrogate’s Court will review the documents and, provided all is in order, issue Letters Testamentary.

Read below for more information on the probate process (when there is a Will).

What is the Process of Probating a Will and Do I Need a NYC Probate Attorney?

In order to probate, you will need to (i) gather documents; (ii) fill out forms; (iii) go to court; and, (iv) pay the fee.  Please review this probate guide for further details. Let’s discuss each in turn.

A NYC Probate Attorney Can help You Gather the Necessary Documents to file the Probate petition.

You will need:

  • the original Will;
  • A copy of the Will
  • A certified copy of the Death Certificate; and,
  • And, if the Decedent was survived by only one person or by cousins, then you will need an Affidavit of Heirship from a disinterested person

Fill out the appropriate forms to file the Probate petition.

Review the Surrogate’s Court Forms. You will need the following:

  • Probate Petition
    • List the next of kin, primary executor, and adversely affected beneficiaries in paragraph 6 of the Petition.
    • Put everybody who is mentioned in the will and who is not in paragraph 6 in paragraph 7.
    • Either a “Waiver of Process; Consent to Probate” (“Waiver”) or a “Citation” for everybody listed in paragraph 6.  If the person agrees to your appointment as Executor, have that person sign a Waiver. If that person does not agree, then ask the Court to issue a Citation that you will need to serve upon that person.
    • Notice of Probate for everybody listed in paragraph 7, along with an Affidavit of Mailing of Notice of Probate.
    • Affidavit of Comparison.
    • Affidavit of Assets and Liabilities.
    • Affidavit of Attesting Witnesses when the Will does not contain a Self-Proving Affidavit

Gather the Filing Fee to File the Probate Petition.

The Fees depend on the value of the gross estate. Here’s a quick cheat sheet chart from SCPA 2402: http://nycourts.gov/forms/surrogates/pdfs/feeschedule.pdf

Go to the Surrogate’s Court in the County where your Decedent died or had property to submit all the forms and pay the fee. If the Court issues a Citation, then attend Court on the return date of Citation.

If nobody appears and objects, the Court will issue letters. On the other hand, if somebody objects, consider calling an attorney. Once letters are issued, then you will become the Executor. We have provided a checklist of what to do as Executor. 

Facts and circumstances may vary. If you have nuances, consider contacting a probate attorney familiar with the local rules.

Should I Engage in Estate Planning to Specifically Avoid Probate?

It is all a matter of preference and a question of what is in your estate.

Some people do not want to belabor their family and friends with the process of gathering the paperwork and going to Court. Other people prefer to avoid the additional expenses of hiring a new york probate attorney, paying for Letters Testamentary, and paying the filing fees involved in having the Court process payment. Still other people are concerned that their investments will drastically decline in value in the time (sometimes a month or two) that it takes to have at least a preliminary executor appointed to give direction and manage the assets. If you fall into any of the above, then you may want to consider avoiding probate. Ways to avoid probate include preparing and funding a Trusts during lifetime, transferring property during your lifetime by way of gift, creating payable on death accounts, and creating joint accounts.

What If I Am Ok With Probate?

Other people review their assets, see that they have a house, retirement accounts, and assets in checking or savings or low risk funds and believe that their assets will remain intact during the time that it takes to have a fiduciary appointed.  These people also tend to appreciate judicial supervision over their assets to ensure that funds are not converted. If you fall into this group, then you may want to consider having your fiduciary go through the probate process. You may want a NYC Probate Attorney to help you.

For more information, please contact NYC Probate Litigation, Guardianship, Probate, and Estate Planning attorney Regina Kiperman:

Phone: 917-261-4514
Fax: 929-556-2089
Email: rkiperman@rklawny.com

Or visit her at:
40 Wall Street
Suite 2508
New York, NY 10005

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This page is made available by the lawyer for educational purposes only as well as to give you general information and a general understanding of the law, not to provide specific legal advice. By using this site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and the lawyer. The post should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.

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