A loved one left you in charge of overseeing her or his estate. You do not mind accepting the role, but do you know your responsibilities to the estate's heirs? SmartAsset breaks down what executors owe beneficiaries. Learn how to act in the estate's most favorable...
When someone designates you as the executor of his or her last will and testament, you automatically become the personal representative of his or her estate when he or she dies. As such, your main duty is to present the will for probate in the Surrogate Court of the...
Most people in New Jersey likely assume that all adults in the state (particularly those in their later years) have a will (despite the natural reticence that many may have towards estate planning. Yet this assumption often proves false; indeed, according to...
As the executor of an estate, part of your responsibility is to marshal assets belonging to the deceased. In other words, you take control of them so that you can fulfill your other responsibilities, such as handling expenses and debts or funding bequests. On the...
When someone dies and has assets, the distribution of the assets and property go through probate. This is a legal process, and it occurs whether or not the person had a will. Probate may seem daunting, but in most cases, it is a fairly simple process as long as there...
After someone dies, an executor steps up to help administer the estate. In most cases, the executor knows that they'll be taking on the role before the other party's death. In some, they were never informed that they'd be taking on that role. So, if you're appointed...
Probate is a complicated legal process that can take time and legal knowledge to get through. It can be beneficial to readers of this New Jersey estate planning blog to discuss their probate questions with attorneys who are familiar with their estate planning needs....
Intestate succession is a complicated area of estate administration law. It becomes applicable to the estate of a deceased individual when that person passes away without having first executed a valid will. As our readers in New Jersey may know, a will is a legal...
Being selected as the executor of a loved one's estate is an honor, but it also comes with responsibilities. Even though the probate process in New Jersey is not as complex as the probate process is in other states, costly mistakes can be made by those who are...
In New Jersey, when a person dies, his or her estate generally must go through the probate process before the assets can be distributed to the person's heirs either per the terms of the person's will or through the state laws of intestacy should the person die without...