Throughout our lives we buy and collect property, save money, and often incur debt. All of these items become part of our estate. When we pass away, we use a will to provide instructions for our families on how we want our estate to be distributed after our death. New Jersey wills and probate laws deal with the distribution and administration of property in the estate of an individual who dies a resident of New Jersey.
This glossary of probate and estate planning terms is designed to help navigate the legal language used in estate planning and probate law.
Drawing up a will is an important step in the estate planning process. The will is a legal document that directs how you want your property distributed upon your death. In order to be a valid will, New Jersey law provides that the document must be properly signed and witnessed by two people and you must be of sound mind and at least 18 years old when it is signed. The will should also be executed in the presence of a Notary Public in order to simplify the probate process.
Sometimes your wishes, as outlined in your will, are not the hopes and wishes of your family members. Occasionally, families contest the validity of wills or the validity of changes to wills. In order to avoid the possibility of an invalid or contested will, an estate planning attorney can prepare the document for you.
A will can be revoked at any time before your death by destroying it or by creating a new will that replaces the old one. Wills executed in the state of New Jersey can be changed by either creating an entirely new will or by adding the changes to the existing will by codicil.
Probate or estate administration laws dictate the process of distributing your assets after you die. These laws deal with the following:
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If you reside in central New Jersey and need the assistance of a Princeton will or probate lawyer to create a will or administer an estate, contact Mason, Griffin & Pierson, P.C. for consultation. The firm’s probate attorneys have over five decades of experience in drafting wills, estate planning, probate, and estate administration.
On June 23, 2022, Mason, Griffin & Pierson, PC, Director, Edwin W. Schmierer, Esq., moderated a panel discussion presented by Affordable Housing Professionals of New Jersey (AHPNJ) concerning the status of affordable housing delivery for the Third Round and preparation for the Fourth Round which commences July 1, 2025. Mr. Schmierer is the President of AHPNJ. The panelists included a representative from the Fair Share Housing Center, former Executive Director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the Chief of Multifamily Program for NJHMFA and a professional planner who has served as a Special Court Master in 40 plus municipalities for the implementation of Third Round Affordable Housing Plans. Mr. Schmierer chairs the firm's Government Practice Group which represents over 30 municipal governing bodies, land use board and affordable housing committees throughout the State of New Jersey.