NJ Specific

Trusts, Estates & Probate

New Jersey Probate Process: In 7 Simple Steps

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 7.2 Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
OnDemand
5 hours 52 minutes
Kaitlin Hackett
Thomas Begley
Eric Feldhake
Victoria Brown
With Kaitlin Hackett from Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C. + 3 others
Recorded October 08, 2025.
Product ID 100840

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Course Includes
$489

OnDemand Video

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Overview

Learn How to Handle Assets, Taxes, Personal Representatives, and More!

This step-by-step practical instruction offers essential knowledge of probate processes and best practices for handling each unique case effectively. Learn how to tackle crucial first steps; handle the personal executive; gather, value, and distribute all assets; and successfully complete the final accounting and tax returns. Arm yourself with the foundational knowledge and best practices you need to ensure a smooth administration from start to finish. Register today!

  • Don't overlook anything important: confidently navigate critical first steps.
  • Understand executor powers, duties, responsibilities, and compensation guidelines.
  • Learn how to effectively marshal and inventory all assets.
  • Pick up tips for validating, prioritizing, and satisfying creditor claims.
  • Get practical guidance for post-mortem planning, trust administration, and tax hurdles.
  • Put the decedent's affairs to rest by making distributions, filing the final tax return, and completing the final accounting.
  • Discover how to litigate deed contests, lost or contested wills, fiduciary misconduct, and more.

Abbreviated Agenda

  1. Opening the Estate
  2. Preparing the Personal Representatives for the Job
  3. Managing the Estate: Valuations, Spousal Share, and More
  4. Resolving Disputes and Navigating Probate Litigation
  5. Addressing Creditor Claims
  6. Post-Mortem Tax Planning, Distributions, and Trust Administration
  7. Handling Estate Closing, Final Accounting, and Tax Returns
  8. Maintaining an Ethical Practice

Related Topics

Product ID 100840

Credit Details

Credits Available
Credit Status Total
New Jersey CLE Approved 7.2 Total
New York CLE Approved 7 Total
Pennsylvania CLE Approved 6 Total
Select Jurisdiction
CLE

Agenda

All times are shown in

  1. Opening the Estate

    1. What to Do in the First 48 Hours
    2. Obtaining the Will and Getting it Admitted
    3. Locating and Notifying the Beneficiaries
    4. Determining if the Estate Qualifies for a Small Estate Administration
    5. The Estate Timeline - What Must be Done When
    6. Filing the Initial Petition With the Probate Court: Forms and Procedures
    7. Sending Initial Notices to the Public and to State Agencies
    8. Closing the Decedent's Accounts
    9. Obtaining the Estate Tax ID
    10. Laws of Intestacy

  2. Preparing the Personal Representatives for the Job

    1. Educating PRs on Their Duties, Powers, and Responsibilities
    2. Compiling Personal Representative Guide/Instructions
    3. Clarifying Executor Compensation
    4. Advising PRs on Potential Problems and Liability

  3. Managing the Estate: Valuations, Spousal Share, and More

    1. Marshalling and Valuing Decedent's Assets
    2. Initial Inventory
    3. Maintenance and Management
    4. Determining Elective Share and Homestead Allowance
    5. Spousal Rights: Electing vs. Disclaiming the Share
    6. Claiming Homestead Allowance
    7. Portability Rules; Claiming Unused Lifetime Exclusion
    8. Estate Expenses: Payment and Record-Keeping
    9. What to Do With the Income the Estate is Producing

  4. Resolving Disputes and Navigating Probate Litigation

    1. Will Contests, Deed Contests, Allegations of Undue Influence and Other Causes of Action
    2. Obtaining Court Guidance for Proposed Actions Regarding the Estate Administration
    3. Probate Litigation Rules, Procedures, and Evidentiary Provisions
    4. Fiduciary Misconduct, Liability, Disputes with Beneficiaries
    5. Effective Approaches to Resolving Disputes Without Going to Court

  5. Addressing Creditor Claims

    1. Issuing Notices to Creditors: What Works Best
    2. Validating Claims
    3. Determining the Priority of Creditor Rights
    4. Selling Property to Satisfy Claims: What to Sell, How to Do it, and How to Properly Record it
    5. Satisfying Tax Claims and Liens

  6. Post-Mortem Tax Planning, Distributions, and Trust Administration

    1. Managing the Tax Consequences of Elections and Receipt of Non-Probate Assets (e.g. IRA Distributions)
    2. Tax Implications of Transfers
    3. Creating Trusts and Subtrusts for Multiple Beneficiaries to Receive Their Shares of the Estate
    4. What to Do With Bequests and Trust Distributions to Minors
    5. Post-Mortem Tax Planning Approaches: How Much Maneuver Room is Left?
    6. How to Calculate the Omitted Spouse Share or Omitted Child Share
    7. Guarding Disabled Adult Beneficiaries' Benefits Eligibility

  7. Handling Estate Closing, Final Accounting, and Tax Returns

    1. Tax Returns and Deadlines - Estate and Income, State and Federal, Decedent's and the Estate's
    2. Informal Closing by Statement of Personal Representative
    3. Compiling and Balancing the Final Account
    4. Final Distributions to Beneficiaries and Liability of Distributees
    5. Closing the Estate and Discharging the Fiduciary

  8. Maintaining an Ethical Practice

    1. Whom do You Represent? Conflicts of Interest
    2. Protecting Client Confidentiality
    3. Attorney Fees
    4. Practicing Law in More Than One State

Who Should Attend

This basic level online seminar is designed for attorneys, accountants, tax professionals, trust officers, executors and other fiduciaries and paralegals.

Speakers

Kaitlin Hackett
Kaitlin
Hackett
Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C.
Thomas D Begley III
Thomas D.
Begley, III
Thomas D. Begley III, LLC
Eric A Feldhake
Eric A.
Feldhake
Kulzer & DiPadova, P.C.
Victoria M Brown
Victoria M.
Brown
Victoria M. Brown, LLC
Speaker bio
Kaitlin Hackett

Kaitlin Hackett

Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C.
Kaitlin Hackett

is an associate at Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C. She concentrates her practice on estate planning, estate administration, and guardianship matters. Ms. Hackett assists clients with tax planning, disputes, and estate administration matters. She served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Timothy W. Chell, PJ.Cv. in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem County vicinage. Ms. Hackett earned her bachelor's degree from Stockton University, with a double major in psychology and political science; and her J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School. While attending Rutgers, she served as editor in chief of the Rutgers Journal of Law and Public Policy and as a teaching assistant for the estate planning classes.

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Speaker bio
Thomas D Begley III

Thomas D. Begley, III

Thomas D. Begley III, LLC
Thomas Begley

is the president of Thomas D. Begley III, LLC, where he concentrates his practice in the areas of estate and tax planning, estate administration, small business representation, elder law, and probate litigation. Mr. Begley is a certified elder law attorney (CELA) as accredited by the National Elder Law Foundation. He is an accomplished author and lecturer. Mr. Begley is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association (former director of the Elder Law Section) and the Burlington County Bar Association (former chair of the Estate Planning and Probate Committee). He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Mr. Begley earned his B.A. degree from Georgetown University College of Arts and Sciences and his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

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Speaker bio
Eric A Feldhake

Eric A. Feldhake

Kulzer & DiPadova, P.C.
Eric Feldhake

is a shareholder with the law firm of Kulzer & DiPadova, P.C., where his areas of practice include estate and tax planning, administration, litigation, and real estate and business transactions. He is licensed to practice in the state of New Jersey, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Feldhake is also a member of the American, New Jersey State, Camden County, Burlington County and Cape May County bar associations. He is an adjunct instructor of legal and financial aspects of entrepreneurship at Rowan University, and was an instructor of taxation at the Judge Advocate General Corps' LL.M. Graduate Program. He is a retired Officer in the U.S. Army and Naval Reserves, and Pennsylvania and Indiana National Guards, where he served for 32 years. Mr. Feldhake earned his B.S. degree from Indiana University, his M.B.A. degree from the Temple University Fox School of Business and his J.D. degree and LL.M. degree in taxation from Temple University School of Law.

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Speaker bio
Victoria M Brown

Victoria M. Brown

Victoria M. Brown, LLC
Victoria Brown

is an attorney with Victoria M. Brown, LLC. Her main areas of practice are probate, real estate, business, internet law, and litigation. Ms. Brown is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, Florida and Massachusetts. She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, Federal Circuit Court, Federal District Court, Southern and Eastern districts of New York, and the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court. Ms. Brown earned her B.A. degree from Boston University and her J.D. degree from New England School of Law.

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