An Executor’s Guide to Administering an Estate
Estate Planning 101: The Five Most Important Clauses for Wills and Trusts
Top Ten Mistakes Executors Make and How to Avoid Them
Creating a last will and testament is the first step in creating an estate plan – a critical planning tool to ensure that your wishes are honored and that your loved ones are cared for after your death....more
While undue influence claims are commonly asserted in probate proceedings, especially with the increased prevalence of dementia and similar disabilities, two recent cases from New York’s Appellate Division illustrate how...more
What happens to social media accounts when an individual dies? As social media is a growing source of revenue for individuals, from influencers to public figures, and the dominant means of how people document their lives, it...more
There are many factors to consider when planning your estate in the event of your incapacitation or death. While discussions regarding traditional assets are crucial in the planning process, other factors should also be taken...more
Following the untimely death last year of his father Big Daddy Bux due to COVID-19, brother Hustler Bux was appointed independent executor of Big Daddy’s Will. When Hustler asked for a judicial discharge, sister Kathy...more
In general, the party tasked with defending a decedent’s Will during a Will contest, which is typically the executor, is entitled to the reimbursement of counsel fees that they incur in defending the Will on behalf of the...more
Over the holidays, you or a loved one may have received some type of computer or device that connects to the internet, email and various applications. Or photos were taken and stored on such a device, or posts were made on...more
The digital revolution has touched virtually every aspect of our lives. The result is that one likely has at least a handful of “digital assets.” These assets may include personal assets, such as online bank and brokerage...more
The Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Newsletter compiles recent Trust & Estate cases. Brother Gets the Cat – and Not Much Else - Where the decedent left his brother his “beloved old cat” and a small sum of money, and...more
“The attorney client privilege, the oldest among common-law evidentiary privileges, fosters the open dialogue between lawyer and client that is deemed essential to effective representation” (Spectrum Sys. Intern. Corp. v...more
The federal estate tax exemption is now $11.4 million per person ($22.8 million/couple), and the New York State estate tax exemption is now $5,740,000 per person. Generally, the exemption amount is the value of assets that...more
The Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Newsletter compiles recent Trust & Estate cases. Our lawyers are at the forefront of this area of the law, shaping how it is handled in the Probate and Family Court. ...more
The Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Newsletter compiles recent Trust & Estate cases. Our lawyers are at the forefront of this area of the law, shaping how it is handled in the Probate and Family Court. Goulston & Storrs is the...more
A Personal Representative (PR) is in charge of the property (estate) of an individual who has died (known as the decedent). When a person passes away, their assets become property of their estate....more
Selecting the right executor to manage your estate is critical. Administering an estate is a difficult and sometimes frustrating process....more
The days, weeks, and months after the death of a loved one can be emotional and stressful, especially if you are named the executor of your deceased family member or friend’s estate. ...more
A nominated executor is obliged to secure estate assets even before the issuance of letters testamentary, or preliminary letters testamentary (see Matter of Schultz, 104 AD3d 1146 [4th Dept. 2013]). Courts have recognized...more
Over the holidays, it’s likely that you or a loved one received some type of computer or device that connects to internet websites, e-mail and applications. Or that pictures were taken and stored on such a device, or that...more
December Interest Rates for GRATs, Sales to Defective Grantor Trusts, Intra-Family Loans and Split Interest Charitable Trusts - The December § 7520 rate for use with estate planning techniques such as CRTs, CLTs, QPRTs...more
We, as a society, are gradually moving away from paper bank statements, jars with money in them, and instructions to loved ones scribbled on notepads. With the growth of our online presence, our lives can be governed almost...more
Being the executor of an estate is not a task to take lightly. An executor is the person responsible for managing the administration of a deceased individual's estate. Although the time and effort involved will vary with the...more