If you have not made a will or prepared any other estate planning documents, you are not alone.  While many Americans are in a similar situation, they may not be fully aware that the failure to indicate their intentions for their property after death can result in expensive court proceedings and even lawsuits between family members.

If you want to decide how your property will be distributed upon your death, let the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates prepare all the necessary estate plans to document your intentions.

Wills

A will is a simple declaration of how you want your real and personal property to be distributed after your death. If you do not have a will, you should establish one right away. If you have one but you have recently had a child, been married or divorced, acquired substantial property, or want to be sure that someone special receives a bequest, you should update your will.

Our estate-planning lawyers can help you draft or amend a will so that your property will be distributed as you wish. You should also prepare an advanced health care directive to communicate your wishes for life support in the event you are unable to make your own healthcare decisions, and a durable power of attorney to allow another to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated.

Probate

Probate courts administer the disposition of property, and appoint guardians for minors and conservators for incapacitated adults.

In probate, the court supervises the transfer of legal title from the deceased to the people specified in his or her will. If the deceased left no will, the property will be distributed to heirs according to the state's intestate succession laws.

Probate can be a complicated process. If a close friend or relative has died recently, consider meeting with a probate lawyer to discuss your legal issues, so you don't have to be distracted from the truly important things.

If you are owed money by a recent decedent, you may need to file a creditor's claim to collect from the estate. Strict statutes of limitations apply for creditor's claims, so contact us right away to file your claim. The lawyers at Stephen Bilkis & Associates are experienced in all areas of probate law and are available to answer any probate questions.

Our Probate Roadmap explains the probate process.

To set up your FREE consultation with our probate lawyers, call us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW or contact us online.

Complete our Will Questionnaire and bring it to the appointment with your attorney.