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formal process, then the Court will issue a
“citation” to appear in Court on a certain
day, and each non- consenting person
must be formally served in accordance
with New York State law.
Presuming the administration or probate
petition is accepted, the executor or
administrator will receive their letters
testamentary from the Surrogate’s Court.
Original certificates will be required for
a variety of purposes, and so we advise
our clients to obtain several extra copies.
The executor will need these certificates
in order to transfer title to any assets (i.e.
funds in bank accounts, sell real estate),
and to open the estate bank account.
TIP: If you are the fiduciary of a loved
one’s estate, check the office of unclaimed
funds via the New York State Comptroller’s
website to see whether the decedent is
entitled to any “unclaimed funds”.
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Once the executor or administrator has
located and gathered all of the assets
of the decedent, they will manage the
funds in a prudent manner, pay off the
decedent’s debts and distribute the funds
as per the terms of the decedent’s will,
or else as per the laws of intestacy of the
State of New York.
For purposes of brevity, we have
substantially simplified the description
of the probate or administration process.
The proceedings can be lengthy, and may
involved hard-fought litigation, especially
in the case of distant heirs, or family
disputes. There are many subtle nuances
to each situation, and so it is advisable
to meet with an experienced attorney
to discuss the best way to proceed, and
to guide you in your decision making
process.