Kenneth Vercammen & Associates, P.C.
2053 Woodbridge Ave.
Edison, NJ 08817
(732) 572-0500
www.njlaws.com

Sunday, August 27, 2017

ABA Estate Planning, Probate and Trust and Elder Law Joint Committee Meeting Friday, October 20

ABA Estate Planning, Probate and Trust and Elder Law Joint Committee Meeting Friday, October 20 GPSolo 3:00pm- 4:00 Seminar and roundtable Free to attendees
 at the St. Paul Hotel

    Ideas to be discussed:
- BUILDING THE MILLION DOLLAR ESTATE PLANNING PRACTICE
    
Ethically Building Your Practice using free and low-cost online methods
1.   Website specific http://www.njwillsprobatelaw.com
2.   Blog https://njprobate.blogspot.com [no comments permitted]
3.   Facebook Law Office
4.   LinkedIn- post articles, events
5.   Google+ aka Google Plus
6.   Twitter
7.   YouTube
8.   Avvo Legal rating
9.   JD Supra
10.       Justia Lawyer Directory:
11.       Yelp for Business Owners
12.       Marketing Your Wills & Estate Administration Practice
13.       Happy Hour networking party for professionals such as Accountants, CPA’s, Financial Planners plus clients and friends.
14.       Wills and Power of Attorney for AARP members Seminar                            
15.       Brochures to Bring to Wills and Elder Law Program
16.       WILLS AND ESTATE ADMINISTRATION SEMINAR EVALUATION                  
17.        
18.       Calling to Invite Clients to Events and Annual Will Seminar www.facebook.com/events/1114988428957




Saturday, August 26, 2017

Law Provides for voluntary discharge of personal representatives overseeing administration of estates by application to the Surrogate’s Court

Law Provides for voluntary discharge of personal representatives overseeing administration of estates by application to the Surrogate’s Court A-1955/SCS for S-1795 (Jones, Lampitt, Phoebus, Space/A.R. Bucco, Oroho) – New 
Under the law, following appointment, whenever a personal representative for an estate is unwilling or unable to perform the duties and powers of a personal representative, that personal representative could seek to be voluntarily discharged from the further performance of the duties and powers of the office by filing for voluntary discharge with the Surrogate’s Court of the county which granted the personal representative’s letters, or, if granted by the Superior Court, by filing for voluntary discharge with the Surrogate’s Office where the Surrogate is acting as deputy clerk of the Chancery Division, Probate Part for the Superior Court that issued the letters appointing the personal representative.  Any application for voluntary discharge would need to be consented to in a written, notarized document by each party in interest to the estate that is under the administration of the personal representative seeking to be discharged.
     The voluntary discharge filing, wherever made, would include: a completed Personal Representative Voluntary Discharge Form, as promulgated by the Administrative Office of the Courts, which contained contact information for the personal representative seeking to be discharged, and every party in interest to the estate (with a description of that party’s interest); accompanying proof that each party in interest consented to the discharge; and an application completed by another person to be appointed a successor personal representative for the estate.
     The personal representative filing for voluntary discharge would also be required to file a verified final account showing the true condition of the estate with a verified complaint in the Chancery Division, Probate Part for adjudication, unless every party in interest to the estate listed in the discharge form has consented in a written, notarized document to waiving this additional requirement and this consent accompanies the discharge form filed with the Surrogate’s Court or Surrogate’s Office, as applicable.
     Any sureties on the bond of a personal representative who makes a voluntary discharge filing could not be released until a final judgment has been rendered on the verified final account of the estate by the Chancery Division, Probate Part, unless this additional requirement for the final account was waived by the consent of every party in interest as explained above.  Notwithstanding any consent to waive the requirement of a verified final account of an estate, a creditor of an estate whose interest has not been satisfied may petition the Superior Court for an accounting of the estate. 
     A personal representative would be discharged from the further performance of the duties and powers of the office, and the personal representative’s letters revoked, upon the acceptance of the personal representative’s voluntary discharge filing by the Surrogate’s Court or Surrogate’s Office, as applicable; except the personal representative would still have to account for and pay over the money and assets with which the personal representative is chargeable by virtue of the office.  Additionally, the discharged personal representative would not be entitled to any statutory commissions relating to the performance of the duties and powers of the office.


The Senate unanimously passed S-1795 (Bucco)/A-1955 (Jones), which creates a process for the voluntary discharge of a personal representative overseeing the administration of estates. The bill allows personal representatives appointed by the surrogate's court to be discharged upon the filing of an application pending rules to be adopted by the New Jersey Supreme Court. The NJSBA opposed an earlier version of the proposed legislation because of inconsistencies in the bill's language. Members of the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section have been monitoring the amendments and providing commentary as the bill progressed. 
The initial bill permitted discharges for personal representatives whether appointed by the surrogate's court or the probate part of the superior court. It also required the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to create a form to apply for discharge. The floor amendments that were voted on limited the scope of the bill to representatives in the surrogate's court and allowed a filing similar to what would have been required in the discharge form promulgated by the AOC. 
The amendments also provide for the replacement of a personal representative by either a successor or a substitute personal representative. The prior version only referenced a successor personal representative.

http://www.njlawjournal.com/id=1202789140817/CAPITOL-REPORT

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Middlesex County Surrogate -Directions from Kenneth Vercammen office Phone Number: (732) 745-3055

Middlesex County Surrogate -Directions from Kenneth Vercammen office
 Phone Number: (732) 745-3055
         The Middlesex County Surrogate is located on the first floor of the new County Administration Building. The Surrogate's Office functions as a court with jurisdiction over uncontested probate matters such as wills, guardianships, administrations, trusteeships, etc. With respect to contested probate matters, the Surrogate serves as a clerk for the court hearing the matter. Source: See http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/middlesex/surrogate.htm

MIDDLESEX COUNTY SURROGATE COURT OFFICE LOCATIONS & HOURS

Middlesex County Administration Building - 1st floor
75 Bayard Street- New Brunswick
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:15 PM
Tuesday 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Phone Number: (732) 745-3055
No appointment necessary

Walk out Ferren Deck onto Paterson St. Courthouse is across the street. Middlesex County Administration Building and Surrogate Office is next to Courthouse.
Cross Paterson, then walk right to rear entrance of Middlesex County Administration Building

Parking is available at:
Wellness Plaza Garage
Parking Garage
100 Joyce Kilmer Ave

Gateway Garage
Parking Garage
106 Somerset St 6th Floor
(732) 545-3118


Paterson Street Deck
Parking Garage
124 Paterson St
(732) 545-3118

Civic Square Deck
Parking Garage
23 Kirkpatrick St
(732) 545-3118

Lower Church Street Deck
Parking Garage
90 Church St
(732) 545-3118

Morris Street Deck
Parking Garage
70 New St
You can also park at Hyatt Hotel and walk. Ferren deck has been demolished

________________________

Other locations of Middlesex Surrogate- by appointment
WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

Woodbridge Health Center
George Frederick Plaza (behind main library)
Tuesday & Thursday Mornings by appointment only
Tel. (732) 745-3055

PISCATAWAY TOWNSHIP

Public Safety Building
555 Sidney Road (off of Hoes Lane)
Wednesday Mornings
By appointment only Tel. (732) 745-3055

MONROE TOWNSHIP

Monroe Township Municipal Building
Perrineville Road
Thursday Mornings
By appointment only Tel. (732) 745-3055

EAST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP

Jean Walling Civic Center Drive
Senior Citizen Center (behind main library)
Wednesday Afternoons
By appointment only Tel. (732) 745-3055

EDISON TOWNSHIP

Edison Township Municipal Building
100 Municipal Boulevard (off of Route 27)
Tuesday Afternoons
By appointment only Tel. (732) 745-3055

Source: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/middlesex/surrogate.htm


Middlesex County Surrogate Court
Middlesex County Administration Building - 1st floor
75 Bayard Street
New Brunswick, NJ

Approx. Distance 5 miles from Vercammen Law office

Phone Number: (732) 745-3055

From the New Jersey Turnpike:

Take Exit 9 to Route 18 North.
Take Route 18 North to New Brunswick to the New Street exit.
Take overpass at New Street to New Street.
From New Street turn right at first traffic light onto Neilson Street.

From Neilson Street turn left onto Church Street   [across from Hyatt Hotel]

pass light at George St,  then under building into Ferren Parking Deck.
Park car.
Walk out Ferren Deck onto Paterson St. Courthouse is across the street. Middlesex County Administration Building and Surrogate Office is next to courthouse.

From the Garden State Parkway:

Take the 129 exit to the NJ Turnpike southbound, follow as stated
above.

From Perth Amboy:

Take 287 North to WEST on CR-514/WOODBRIDGE AVE toward Highland Park.  Cross over Route 1, then go right to turn around on Woodbridge Ave. follow signs to Route 1 south

Route 1 South to Route 18.

Take Route 18 North to New Brunswick to the New Street exit.
Take overpass at New Street to New Street.
From New Street turn right at first traffic light onto Neilson Street.

From Neilson Street turn left onto Church Street   [across from Hyatt Hotel]

Pass light at George St,  then under building into Ferren Parking Deck.
Park car.
Walk out Ferren Deck onto Paterson St. Courthouse is across the street. Middlesex County Administration Building and Surrogate Office is next to Courthouse.
Cross Paterson, then walk right to rear entrance of Middlesex County Administration Building
From Somerville:

Take 287 South to Exit 10 (527) for Easton Avenue.
Take Easton Avenue to the end and turn left onto Albany Street.
From Albany Street, turn right onto George Street (at next traffic light).

From George Street turn right onto Bayard Street (3 blocks from Albany Street.)

Courthouse & Middlesex Administration Building is on the right side, one block from George Street.

From Monmouth and Ocean Counties

Take Route 9 North to Route 18.

Take Route 18 North to New Brunswick to the New Street exit.
Take overpass at New Street to New Street.
From New Street turn right at first traffic light onto Neilson Street.

From Neilson Street turn left onto Church Street   [across from Hyatt Hotel]

Pass light at George St,  then under building into Ferren Parking Deck.
Park car.

Hire a Probate Attorney To help with Probate, Wills and Estate Distribution

         Kenneth Vercammen is an Elder Law and Litigation Attorney in Edison, NJ. He often lectures for the American Bar Association and New Jersey State Bar Association on Elder Law, personal injury, and criminal / municipal court matters.  He has published 125 articles in national and New Jersey publications on legal topics. He speaks as a volunteer on Wills and Elder law to Adult Community Schools and non profit groups including Edison, Metuchen, Woodbridge, South Brunswick, North Brunswick, Piscataway, Sayreville, Old Bridge, Spotswood and Perth Amboy Seniors. He has established New Jersey's most popular Elder law website on the Internet to provide information on Probate, Elder Law and Traffic matters located at www.njlaws.com

         In his private practice, he has devoted a substantial portion of his professional time to the preparation and trial of litigated matters.  He has appeared in Courts throughout New Jersey several times each week on many personal injury matters, Municipal Court trials, arbitration hearings and contested administrative law hearings.
         Since 1985, his primary concentration has been on litigation matters.  Mr. Vercammen gained other legal experiences as the Confidential Law Clerk to the Court of Appeals of Maryland (Supreme Court), with the Delaware County, PA District Attorney Office handling Probable Cause Hearings, Middlesex County Probation Dept as a Probation Officer, and an Executive Assistant to Scranton District Magistrate, Thomas Hart, in Scranton, PA.

Call the law office at 732-572-0500 to schedule a confidential appointment.

Kenneth Vercammen & Associates, P.C.
Attorneys at Law
2053 Woodbridge Avenue
Edison, NJ 08817

732-572-0500