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While no two estates are the same, especially when the courts are involved, understanding the different steps of the process can give you an idea of what to expect and how significant your time investment may be.

When a party to a lawsuit dies, the court with jurisdiction over the lawsuit should pause the action until a representative is appointed for the decedent's estate.

A citation is a notice from the Court, requesting that you make an appearance in a pending proceeding. In Surrogate’s Court, this typically means that a Will is being offered for probate, or someone is seeking authority to act in an estate where you are a necessary party.

While cash assets held in checking and savings accounts can be more straightforward to transfer to an estate, navigating a decedent’s interest in shares of stock can be a daunting task.

An executor holds many important duties, and often must perform these obligations while navigating the grief of losing a loved one. Furthermore, complications such as advanced age or physical distance may make it difficult to perform the tasks required.

You should know that anyone can nominate you as executor of his or her Will, but there are many factors that determine whether acting as executor will be a smoothly paved road or a bumpy one.

Most of us think of an inheritance as a good thing—something you would never dream of turning down. But believe it or not, there are times when saying “no, thanks” to an inheritance actually makes sense.

The probate process can be lengthy, especially when a complex family tree is involved. Thankfully, the Surrogate’s Court provides a simplified alternative for “small estates,” through a process called Voluntary Administration.

The right of survivorship is very powerful and extremely difficult to challenge.

Probate is the process by which a last will and testament is accepted by the Surrogate’s Court.