Do you need the services of a New York Surrogate's Court lawyer or should you try to handle your situation on your own? Most people realize that they need the advanced support provided by a Surrogate's Court lawyer in New York.
A Surrogate's Court lawyer in New York likely has years of practice and familiarity with the individual court requirements and procedures that might lead you to get support from an attorney.
The New York Surrogate's Court can be overwhelming and confusing if you have never had an issue in this specific court before. No matter what questions you might have about New York Surrogate's Court, an attorney who is familiar with the individual county in which your issue is pending can advise you further about what to anticipate. After a death occurs in New York, the assets of the deceased are typically transferred to new owners through a process known as probate. Probate has many different purposes and is largely managed through the New York Surrogate's Court.
A Surrogate's Court lawyer in New York will know all of the various stages of these kinds of cases and the common challenges that arise. Probate serves several critical purposes, such as ensuring that an individual properly manages the assets of the deceased and verifying that the last will and testament is indeed valid. Furthermore, should a person come forward and allege that the last will and testament is invalid or was procured by fraud, the probate court oversees these claims. Creditors also have the eligibility to make claims on the estate through the probate process.
The personal representative who was appointed by the deceased individual prior to his or her death or appointed by the court is the person who oversees the filing of court paperwork and facilitating the transfer of assets. Probate will occur in the county in which the deceased individual lived or owned property. If the person owned property in multiple locations, probate might happen in multiple courts.
There are different procedures for probate in every single state, so understanding the rules for where you live and which probate court in New York you need to attend is important. You can retain the services of a Surrogate's Court lawyer who has been practicing in this field for a long time and is familiar with the steps you must consider. The DIY forms posted on the New York Court's website might seem easy to access but they're not necessarily easy to fill out.
You should be wary of trying to handle complicated estate planning and probate matters on your own since there is often a lot of money at stake, and mistakes can cost you significantly.
Verify that you have the support of an experienced attorney. A personal representative will have to carry out many different tasks in relation to the closing of an estate, including assembling documents showing ownership of assets, getting certified copies of the death certificate, retaining a New York Surrogate's Court attorney, assembling wills and other estate planning documents, listing debts and assets owed and owned by the estate, filing for probate, giving notice, completing required tax filing, going to probate court and transferring assets. Given the complexities of all that is involved, you need support from a knowledgeable probate attorney who is familiar with the individual court procedures and can help you to avoid mistakes.
If the executor is accused of malfeasance and other similar problems, then this can lead to a lawsuit over whether or not the executor should be removed from this important role.