Our estate and trust administration attorneys guide clients through the complex, technical process that must be handled according to the requirements of New York law.
When a person dies, a fiduciary must be appointed by the Surrogate’s Court. If the person died with a Will, it must be probated and an executor appointed. If the person died without a Will (intestate), the court appoints an administrator. The executor or administrator is granted authority by the court to administer the estate.
Estate administration includes asset collection, selling real estate, preparing estate and/or income tax returns, paying the decedent’s debts, and distributing the balance of the estate to the beneficiaries.
Trust administration requires that trust property be managed according to the terms of the trust document. The trustee should work with an attorney to ensure that the numerous steps in this process are conducted according to legal requirements.
Our experienced attorneys will successfully guide you through the estate and trust administration process and make the overwhelming manageable.