Estate & Trust Administration
A loved one has passed. We become your single point of contact for everything that follows.
Estate administration is the legal process of settling a deceased person's affairs — proving the will, gathering assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing what remains to beneficiaries. Trust administration follows a parallel but private process for assets held in trust.
Recognize yourself in any of these?
The funeral is over and the paperwork has started.
Death certificates, the will, the bank, the house, the IRA. We become your single point of contact and tell you, in order, what actually needs to happen this week, this month, this year.
You're the executor and you didn't ask to be.
Most executors have never done this before. We protect you personally from liability and handle the work — you make the decisions, we do the running.
There's family tension and you don't want a fight.
A neutral third party reading the documents and explaining the rules to everyone defuses most disputes before they start. Our job is the estate. The relationships are yours to keep.
The work, named honestly.
- —Probate of wills and admission to administration
- —Inventory and valuation of assets
- —Creditor notice and claim review
- —Federal and New Jersey estate and inheritance tax returns
- —Trust funding, accounting, and distribution
- —Sale of real estate and coordination with realtors
- —Final accounting and release
An approach, not a transaction.
Most estates settle in nine to eighteen months. We give you a calendar at the first meeting and check in monthly so you're never wondering what happens next.
About the Guidance ProgramFrequently asked questions about estate administration.
How long does probate take in New Jersey?+
A straightforward NJ estate typically takes nine to twelve months, driven mostly by the creditor claim period and tax return timing. Estates with real estate sales, contested wills, or out-of-state property take longer. We give every executor a realistic timeline at the first meeting.
Do I need a lawyer to probate a will?+
Technically no, but practically yes for anything beyond a small, simple estate. Executors are personally liable for mistakes, and the cost of fixing one usually exceeds the cost of doing it right. Our fees are paid from the estate, not from you personally.
What's the difference between probate and trust administration?+
Probate is a court-supervised public process for assets passing under a will. Trust administration is a private process for assets held in trust. Trusts skip the court timeline and the public record, which is one of the main reasons people use them.
Does New Jersey have an estate tax?+
New Jersey repealed its estate tax in 2018 but still has an inheritance tax that depends on who inherits. Spouses, children, and grandchildren are exempt; siblings, nieces, and nephews are taxed at various rates. We handle the returns as part of every administration.
Let's figure out the next step together.
A 15-minute call is free. There's no obligation, and there's no sales pitch.
Schedule the call