Estate Administration

What We Do

When a loved one dies, his or her assets must be distributed, and responsibility for making that distribution often falls on family members and close friends.  If the decedent left a Will, the executor named in the will must apply to the Surrogate's Court to be appointed, and if the decedent died intestate (without a will), a surviving spouse, child or other family member may apply to the Surrogate's Court to be appointed administrator.  Once appointed, the executor or administrator must distribute assets according to the will or, if there is no will, according to the provisions of New York State law.  In some cases assets of a decedent pass automatically to a surviving joint owner.  In other cases assets pass pursuant to beneficiary designations completed by a decedent during his or her lifetime.  Often, the assets of a decedent are held in trust for the benefit of the decedent's family members, or distributed to charitable organizations.  We represent executors, administrators, trustees and clients involved in contested will and estate settlement proceedings.  For all of these parties, there are forms, deadlines and procedural requirements that must be carefully observed.

At Miller Mayer, our goal is to help our clients navigate the complex process of estate administration smoothly and efficiently, so assets can be distributed to intended beneficiaries and the last wishes of the decedent can be honored.