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Helping our community
First things first. We want to sincerely hope you and your loved ones are healthy and able to take the necessary precautions in this difficult time. This week, as the reality of COVID-19 hit and changed our lives and how we do business. Because we love the Helping...
Law Offices of Bonnie Lawston, Video Conference Calls, Telephone Consultations
At the Law Offices of Bonnie Lawston, P.C., the health and safety of our staff, colleagues and clients is our top priority. You rely on us for your personal and professional needs, and we remain ready to help you in this difficult time as we face many challenges and...
What do I do when a loved one dies?
Take a breathe first. After you have gathered your thoughts, make an appointment and consult with an Probate Estate Administration attorney. Many offer a free consultation and can provide valuable information. The steps that you take initially are very important and...
Matter of Van Patten—Undue Influence
Probate Administration | Wrongful Actions There are certain basic legal requirements when a person transfers property, conveys a power of attorney or establishes a plan for the distribution of an estate. Among the most important are: The person must have appropriate...
Can Your Family Have Access to Your E-Mail after Your Death?
In today's electronic world, the idea of property has changed dramatically. In the past, when you were putting together an estate plan, the only intangible property that might be a part of it was certain types of securities. Now, however, you can have e-mail accounts,...
Surrogate Court Gives Lifetime Promise Priority Over Will
Perhaps the most common way to transfer property upon death in the State of New York is through a valid will or trust. What happens, though, if you've entered into a binding contract to transfer certain property to a specific beneficiary under you will, but the...
Court Limits Scope of Release Involving Estate and Trust Accounting
It's pretty common procedure for a fiduciary to a trust to obtain a release, with the objective of waiving the fiduciary's obligation to provide an accounting of the assets of the estate and trust. A recent opinion from the Surrogate Court in New York County casts...
Keeping Your Ex Spouse from Being Administrator of Your Estate
In most situations, the last person you would want to give the authority to administer your estate would be a former spouse. In fact, to avoid such a contingency, it's a fairly common practice for parties to a divorce to include language in the divorce decree...
What Happens If a Beneficiary is also a Witness to a Will?
Under New York law, a valid will must contain the signatures of two witnesses. There are no requirements regarding the capacity of the witnesses. The testator (person executing the will) must sign in the presence of the witnesses, but they need not sign in each...
What Happens If You Can’t Locate a Will?
So you spend the time and money to carefully plan out your estate and you prepare and execute a will that ensures that your property goes exactly where you want it to. Once you've made it official, you put the original copy of your last will and testament with your...
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