Manhattan Probate Lawyer

Dealing with the death of a loved one is difficult, however most of us will have to deal with this type of situation at least once in our lifetime.  A Manhattan Probate Lawyer from Stephen Bilkis and Associates has prepared the following message to help inform you and get you through this difficult time.

When a loved one passes away, grief is often trumped by the overwhelming responsibilities of managing an estate; determining heirs, distributing assets and paying creditors. This process is known as Probate in New York.  If the deceased individual had a Will, then the Manhattan Probate Lawyer will present the Will for probate, if no Will exists, the Manhattan Probate Lawyer will present the Will for administration.  There is no denying the benefit of having a skilled Probate Lawyer from Manhattan helping you through this challenging and time-intensive process.  

If your loved one had a Will, the estates executor will be responsible for the management of the estate, including distribution of assets.  If your loved one did not have a Will, a personal representative will file a petition with the court in Manhattan.  At this point, the court will appoint an administrator to the estate, often times a relative or close family friend.

A Manhattan Probate Lawyer will file a probate petition or administration petition on behalf of the estate in a New York City Court.  The probate of an estate is handled by a court located in the same Manhattan County where the deceased individual lived at the time of his or her death. If the county is too small to have its own Probate Court, there may be a court in a neighboring county that will be granted jurisdiction. In New York City, Probate courts are referred to as Surrogates Court. We suggest that you speak with a Manhattan Probate Lawyer to decide an appropriate plan of action when dealing with the Surrogates Court.

After the Manhattan Probate Lawyer files a petition (probate petition or administration petition), the Surrogates Court has right to give the estates administrator the power to distribute assets and pay debts.  Your loved ones assets include “real” property, such as cash, stocks and bonds, insurance policies, investment assets, vehicles, jewelry, artwork, clothing and personal items. Also, the estates administrator has the power to distribute property, land and buildings that are located in Manhattan. The Surrogates Court does not have jurisdiction over property located in other states.

At Stephen Bilkis and Associates, each Manhattan Probate Lawyer in our office has spent years working for families in Manhattan’s Surrogates Court.  Each Probate Lawyer has an in-depth understanding of the Manhattan Court system and will work diligently to help you through every step of the Probate process.

If you are looking for a Manhattan Probate Lawyer, take advantage of our free consultation by calling us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW (1-800-696-9529) or contact us online to schedule an appointment today. We are located throughout New York City including Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester County and Long Island (Nassau County and Suffolk Counties). Call a Manhattan Probate Lawyer now, Stephen Bilkis and Associates at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW (1-800-696-9529), contact us today!