Estate Administration Lawyer Serving Cherry Hill, New Jersey

It’s the legal process of managing a deceased person’s estate—gathering assets, paying debts, and distributing property. We assist with every stage to make sure nothing is missed.

Not always. New Jersey does not require an executor or administrator to hire a lawyer, and the Camden County Surrogate’s clerks prepare the application paperwork. Legal help becomes more valuable when the estate includes real estate, debts that may exceed the assets, Class C or Class D beneficiaries who trigger inheritance tax, a missing or contested will, or family members who disagree.

A probate lawyer, or estate administration attorney, helps the executor or administrator move a Cherry Hill estate through the Camden County Surrogate’s Court and the steps that follow. That usually means gathering the original will and death certificate, preparing for the probate appointment, sending the required 60-day notice of probate, collecting and valuing assets, paying debts in the proper order, handling New Jersey inheritance tax and waivers, and preparing the accounting and releases before distribution. No attorney can promise how long an estate will take; the goal is to get each filing right the first time.

A will for a Cherry Hill resident is probated by the Camden County Surrogate’s Court at 509 Lakeland Road, Blackwood, New Jersey. The county notes that probate and letters are issued only after the 11th day after death, though the will can be brought in at any time. Expect to provide the original will, proof of death, a list of the assets in the decedent’s name, and the names and addresses of the beneficiaries and next of kin.

The Camden County Surrogate appoints an administrator, and New Jersey’s intestacy laws decide who inherits. The surviving spouse, civil union partner, or domestic partner has the first right to serve, followed by adult children, then parents, siblings, and other relatives in the order the statute sets. If no one claims administration within 40 days, the Surrogate may appoint any fit person who applies. We assist with the application, the bond, asset inventory, and final distributions.

Duties include locating assets, managing bills, communicating with heirs, filing any New Jersey inheritance tax return, and filing the decedent’s final income tax returns. We provide detailed guidance from start to finish.

Yes. It’s common for a family member to serve in both roles. We help maintain transparency and fairness throughout the administration process.

Our team assists with title transfers, sales, and deed corrections as part of the estate's resolution. Real estate matters are carefully reviewed to avoid delays or disputes.

New Jersey’s estate tax does not apply to deaths on or after January 1, 2018, but the state inheritance tax may. Under the Division of Taxation’s rate table, Class A beneficiaries owe no tax; Class C beneficiaries owe nothing on the first $25,000 and 11% to 16% on larger amounts; and Class D beneficiaries owe 15% on the first $700,000 and 16% above that. Even when no tax is due, a waiver may be needed before certain assets are released.

Yes. Many Cherry Hill families come to us after administering a parent’s estate and want to make the process easier for their own children. Our estate planning attorneys prepare wills, powers of attorney, health care directives, and trusts under New Jersey law, and we coordinate plans for families who also own property in Pennsylvania.