Trust Administration Attorney in Nassau County
A Retired Judge’s Perspective. Direct Attorney Access. Serving Nassau County Trustees.
When a trust becomes active, someone has to manage it correctly. That responsibility falls to the trustee, and it carries real legal weight. Kirshblum Taber PC handles trust administration matters for clients throughout Nassau County, helping trustees understand their duties, meet their legal obligations, and address potential personal liability issues under New York law.
Our estate planning practice is led by Orly Taber, whose work centers on helping families manage assets and navigate property and inheritance matters. When you contact our firm, you speak directly with an attorney. There are no intake screeners, no hand-offs to support staff. We also provide on-site interpreter services for Spanish, Hebrew, and Russian speakers.
If you’re serving as a trustee or you’re a beneficiary with questions about a trust, we’re ready to help. Call our Nassau County office at (516) 908-8842 to speak with an attorney directly.
What Sets Kirshblum Taber PC Apart for Trust Administration
David A. Kirshblum brings more than 24 years of judicial experience to our practice. As a retired Family Court Judge, he understands how courts evaluate fiduciary conduct and how disputes over trustee behavior unfold in legal proceedings. That perspective informs how we counsel trustees facing complex family dynamics or contested distributions.
Orly Taber’s practice focuses on estate planning and elder law, including trust-related matters for older adults and their families. She has been recognized by Super Lawyers, and Kirshblum Taber PC has received America’s Top 50 Lawyers recognition. Clients receive a strategy tailored to their specific trust, assets, and family circumstances, not a generic checklist.
Start Your Trust Administration Consultation Today
Whether you’re newly appointed as a successor trustee or facing a dispute over distributions, we can help you move forward with a clear plan. Call (516) 908-8842 to schedule a consultation. Our West Hempstead office serves clients throughout Nassau County and the surrounding Long Island area.
What Trust Administration Actually Involves
Trust administration begins the moment a trust becomes irrevocable, typically at the grantor’s death for a revocable living trust, or immediately upon funding for an irrevocable trust. At that point, the trustee’s obligations begin regardless of whether they feel ready. One practical advantage over probate: Assets held in trust generally pass to beneficiaries without going through Surrogate’s Court, which can reduce delays and keep the distribution private.
The core tasks are substantial. A trustee must locate and inventory all trust assets, notify beneficiaries of the trust’s existence and their rights, manage or liquidate trust property, pay valid debts and taxes, prepare trust accountings, and ultimately distribute assets according to the trust’s terms. Under New York law, trustees have a continuing duty to keep beneficiaries reasonably informed throughout the process.
Trustee Fiduciary Duties & Personal Liability Under New York Law
New York trustees operate under a strict legal framework governed by the Estates, Powers and Trusts Law (EPTL) and the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA). Together, these statutes define what trustees must do and what they can’t.
Three duties matter most in practice:
Duty of Loyalty
A trustee must act solely in the interests of the beneficiaries. Self-dealing, conflicts of interest, and transactions that benefit the trustee at the trust’s expense can all constitute a breach.
Prudent Investor Rule
Trustees must invest and manage trust assets as a prudent investor would, weighing risk, return, and diversification against the trust’s stated purposes. Poor investment decisions, even well-intentioned ones, may result in personal liability.
Duty of Impartiality
When a trust benefits both current income beneficiaries and future remainder beneficiaries, the trustee must balance their interests. Favoring one group over the other is a frequent source of family conflict and litigation.
A trustee who breaches any of these duties may be held personally liable for losses to the trust, may be compelled to restore misappropriated assets, and may be removed by the Surrogate’s Court. Successor trustees face additional exposure: if they discover a prior trustee’s breach and fail to act, they may also be held responsible for it.
How We Help Trustees & Beneficiaries in Nassau County
Our firm handles trust administration as part of a broader estate planning and elder law practice, which means we understand a trust’s full lifecycle from drafting through distribution. We work with newly appointed successor trustees who need to understand what the trust requires of them, as well as beneficiaries who have questions about what they’re owed and when.
Specific ways we assist include:
- Trustee orientation: Walking through the trust document to identify which assets are held in trust, what steps must be completed before distribution, and what records must be maintained
- Trust accountings: Preparing or reviewing accountings, responding to beneficiary objections, and pursuing or defending a judicial accounting in Surrogate’s Court when required
- Distribution guidance: Advising on the timing and method of distributions to help reduce the risk of inadvertent breaches of fiduciary duty
- Beneficiary dispute resolution: Helping resolve conflicts through negotiation or, when necessary, formal court proceedings
- Trust litigation: Representing trustees or beneficiaries when disputes can’t be resolved outside of court
Trustees who are also beneficiaries face heightened scrutiny under New York law. If you hold both roles, getting legal guidance early can help you avoid self-dealing claims down the road.
Nassau County Trust Administration & the Surrogate’s Court in Mineola
Local knowledge matters in trust administration. Nassau County Surrogate’s Court, located in Mineola, handles judicial accountings, trustee removal proceedings, and contested trust matters for Nassau County residents. Knowing how that court operates, what it expects from trustees, and how it approaches disputes is a practical advantage we bring to every matter we handle.
Many Nassau County trusts hold real estate, including family homes, investment properties, or vacation properties on Long Island. Administering those assets means handling title transfers, managing ongoing property obligations, or coordinating a sale, all while keeping the trust’s terms and the beneficiaries’ interests in view. Long Island estates frequently involve a mix of trust assets and probate assets, which means trust administration and a concurrent Surrogate’s Court proceeding may need to run in parallel.
If you’re a trustee or beneficiary dealing with a Nassau County trust, our attorneys are ready to help. Call (516) 908-8842 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with Kirshblum Taber PC.
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“David and Orly are the definition of a DREAM TEAM!!”
Dedicated and Experienced Legal Professionals
Our lawyers serving Nassau County bring a unique background of experience. Attorney David A. Kirshblum, Esq. is a retired judge who has spent over 24 years on the family court bench, including presiding over cases involving Sean “Puffy” Combs, Al Pacino, and Mick Jagger.
He has also written decisions that have been affirmed by the NYS Appellate Division. Having been on the judicial side of the law, Attorney Kirshblum has a unique perspective that can prove advantageous to strategizing against the other side.
Further, while Attorney Kirshblum handles the family law side, Attorney Orly Taber, Esq. has significant experience with estate planning and helps clients, particularly the elderly, with estate matters and ex-spouse property disputes.
She is an energetic and client-focused lawyer who helps build estate plans that safeguard your personal and material interests.
Both Nassau County lawyers at Kirshblum Taber PC are experienced and professional advocates who treat their clients with respect.
Schedule an initial consultation with our attorneys by calling (516) 908-8842 today to get started on your case.
Contact Us For a Consultation
Speak To An Attorney Today About Your Legal Matter. Call 516-908-8842 Or Fill Out the Form Below.