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Beneficiary Rights

in Suffolk, Nassau, Kings, Queens County NY

As a beneficiary to an estate you have certain legal rights that must be upheld by the law. A beneficiary is an individual or entity to whom a decedent bequeaths real and personal property, financial instruments like stocks, bonds and annuities, liquid financial assets, cash or other assets. A will or a living trust defines the decedent’s intended beneficiaries and the inheritance that they are to receive (a trust avoids probate and a will does not; see wills vs living trusts).  Named beneficiaries have certain legal rights to the estate and their inheritable assets.  However, beneficiaries are not necessarily entitled to anything beyond what the decedent bequeathed to them, and a beneficiary may even have limited rights in some situations.  With a will a beneficiary, family member, or disinherited child can easily contest the will during probate.  You should keep in mind that a current and properly funded and executed living trust is much harder to contest since a living trust is a private document while a will is a filed public document.

Protect your loved ones with a proper estate plan

In order to preserve your beneficiaries right you will need to proceed with your estate plan wisely to avoid costly estate litigation matters, as there are strict laws guiding certain legal documents, such as wills and living trusts.  Don’t wait till it is too late to plan your estate.  The sooner you obtain legal counsel and guidance, the more secure your children’s inheritance will be.  The attorneys at the law offices of CHRISTINE THEA RUBINSTEIN and Associates are not only trained in handling simple estate, will and probate matters, we take care of complex living trust estate litigation and we litigate to protect the rights of beneficiaries in Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens County, Bronx, Westchester, Richmond County, Manhattan and Brooklyn Kings County New York.  The attorneys at the firm of CHRISTINE THEA RUBINSTEIN and associates have litigated cases in the Surrogate’s Courts, Federal District Courts, New York Supreme Courts, the Appellate Divisions and the New York Court of Appeals.

Trust vs WillsRemoval of a Trustee * Guardianship * Probate * Beneficiary Rights
Medicaid Asset Protection * Probate Litigation * Estate Litigation * Living Trusts
In Home Care * Supplemental Needs Trusts  * Fraudulent Transfers

Call 1-800-488-6734 today.

Designation and Inheritance

During the time that the estate of the decedent is being handled it is important for the executor or executrix to inform all beneficiaries of their inheritance. A beneficiary is entitled to know that a will names them as a beneficiary, along with the full inheritance the decedent assigned to them.  The executor or executrix is obliged to notify the beneficiary that they are named within the will, and to provide them with information regarding what they are to receive.  However, the beneficiary is not entitled to receive, appraise or view their inheritance until surrogates court has concluded the probate process.

Reasonable Diligence

The executor has fiduciary obligation to the beneficiaries’ to exercise reasonable diligence when administering the estate.  While state probate laws define what constitutes “reasonable,” in general, the executor should transfer ownership of all beneficiaries inheritance within a year after the decedent’s passing. If the executor requires additional time, he must provide the beneficiaries with a reason for the delay. Otherwise, the beneficiaries may petition the adjudicating court to appoint a new executor, who can assume responsibility for dividing the estate’s assets accordingly.

General beneficiary and estate facts

A common misconception holds that all of the beneficiaries have a right to information about the entire estate’s assets, interests, accounts and other general information.  However, beneficiaries have no right to any information beyond the inheritance they are to receive as defined by a will (or through probate avoidance with a living trust).  While a beneficiary can obtain a copy of the will during probate, the executor, executrix or trustee is under no obligation to furnish a copy or provide any information about the estate, including other beneficiaries’ inheritance.

Abatement

Abatement is the process of liquidating an estate’s assets to cover its outstanding liabilities.  An estate faces abatement when it holds more debt than it owns in disposable assets, and beneficiaries can lose some or all of their inheritance in the process.  In this situation, a beneficiary’s rights come second to the rights of any creditors, as the estate’s liability to its creditors supersedes anything else.  The estate cannot bequeath property or assets it does not own, so it must settle its outstanding claims before the court can determine what is left to distribute amongst the beneficiaries.  Although most states first liquidate any assets not specifically assigned to a beneficiary, assigned property and cash are not exempt from abatement. In the event that part of the beneficiaries’ inheritance covers the estate’s liabilities, the court divides the remaining assets by percentage, with each beneficiary receiving a share that is equal to the inheritance the decedent defined.  If the estate breaks even after covering its liabilities, or takes a loss, the beneficiaries are entitled to nothing and receive no inheritance. Speak with a lawyer before you make any estate settlement decisions. The law offices of CHRISTINE THEA RUBINSTEIN and Associates can settle any open creditor claims against the estate for pennies on the dollar.

We are dedicated to your success, so contact us.  Speak with one of our knowledgeable Long Island will and estate planning litigation, living trust estate litigation, beneficiary rights protection and litigation attorneys today from wherever you are in New York in Nassau and Suffolk, Brooklyn, Kings and Queens Counties, on Long Island and all New York City boroughs including Bronx, Westchester, Richmond County, and Manhattan.

Call 1-800-488-6734 today.

Get Help With Your Estate Plan Now be prepared for your loved ones with the proper estate plan.

You should know you have certain legal rights and must be very selective of the Lawyer or Law Firm that you chose to represent you. Have an Attorney council you on the Right Decision for You.

Trust vs WillsRemoval of a Trustee * Guardianship * Probate * Beneficiary Rights
Medicaid Asset Protection * Probate Litigation * Estate Litigation * Living Trusts
In Home Care * Supplemental Needs Trusts  * Fraudulent Transfers

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