Q: My father recently passed away in New York we believe without a will.
My father recently passed away in New York we believe without a will. At least we have not been able to locate one. He left a considerable estate to which myself and my sister are the only airs. We were wondering what we need to do next he had several CDs in three local banks to which total almost $200,000 what is our next move we are only in New York for a few days
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
- New York
- (646) 775-3455
- View Profile
- Answered
A: You must petition the Surrogates Court for Letters of Administration in order to be given the power to collect and distribute assets. If you are not going to be present in NY you should retain an attorney to assist you.
Nina Whitehurst agrees with this answer
A: You need to petition for administration. The problem is that there may be a delay due to the court closures due to the coronavirus. Check with the banks to make sure there is no beneficiary designation on the accounts.
Nina Whitehurst agrees with this answer
A: Condolences on the loss of your father. If the only assets are CDs and the accounts have named beneficiaries, you may not need to file to Administer the Estate but may instead be able to file as beneficiaries.
Nina Whitehurst agrees with this answer
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
