Sometimes probate takes a long period to complete. A 2018 survey by Estate Exec found that the average time for probate lasts for 16 months. However, New Jersey offers a way to expedite the distribution of some estates through more convenient methods. Wealthy or...
Estate Administration
How and when may an executor pay off the estate’s debts?
New Jersey’s probate statutes require an estate’s executor to notify the deceased’s heirs and all reasonably known creditors. A valid will that lists the deceased‘s heirs may, for example, also require recent billing statements for the estate’s executor to refer to....
Handling a dispute as the administrator of an estate
Whether a beneficiary accuses you of failing to distribute the assets of an estate correctly or misusing funds for your personal benefit, there are different reasons why you could become involved in a dispute as the administrator of an estate. In the event that such a...
The necessity of probate when administering an estate
Today, probate has a bad reputation when it really shouldn’t. It is often reiterated that it is something you want to avoid. As such, many individuals specifically try to avoid probate when beginning the estate planning process. But in some situations, probate cannot...
Considerations in selecting a trustee
A trust is a common tool used to protect assets or distribute property upon death. While there are multiple types of trusts that can serve many purposes, a common element of all trusts is the naming of a trustee. The trustee is responsible for managing trust assets...
Challenging a will in New Jersey
Most New Jersey residents assume that once a will is signed, all the issues of distributing a person’s estate have been settled. Unfortunately, many beneficiaries or potential beneficiaries of a will may have different opinions about how the estate should be...
Key points about estate administration, inventory and appraisal
In New Jersey, estate administrators will have a significant role in the distribution of a person’s assets after they have died. While it is an emotional and sometimes overwhelming time, probate is necessary to ensure the testator’s property will be distributed as...
How personal representatives open bank accounts for estates
When people agree to be a personal representative for the estate of a loved one in New Jersey they probably do not know everything that it entails. They may know at a basic level that they will be responsible for administering the estate to ensure that the...
How to prepare to probate a loved one’s estate
Most Bridgewater area residents do not have a lot of experience in dealing with a person’s estate after they pass away. It’s not something we do on a regular basis, so when the time comes it can be confusing and stressful. If you find yourself as an estate executor...
Understanding the concept of fiduciary duty in New Jersey
Many individuals in New Jersey may owe a “fiduciary duty” to another person without knowing which “duties” are expressly owed to the other person. A fiduciary duty arises whenever one person is chosen to manage the assets of a deceased person’s estate, manage the...