New York Professional Executor
One firm serves as your executor and manages the entire estate, including the real estate sale. You don’t have to coordinate anything.
Have you recently lost a loved one? Are you struggling to name an executor in your will? Both finding and serving as an executor can be a source of tremendous stress.
Choosing a professional executor may be the solution. I’ve served as professional executor for hundreds of New York estates. Once appointed as executor, my team oversees the entire probate process, from cleaning out the deceased’s apartment to handling the preparation and filing of estate tax returns.
What We Do
I can serve as professional executor after the death of a loved one, or in your will.
After the Death of a Loved One
Even if your loved one’s will does not name a professional executor, the surviving heirs can still make that choice.
This usually makes sense when the named executor is unable or unwilling to perform their duties. Or if heirs simply prefer an independent and experience professional at the helm. Either way, you can hire a professional executor so long as you have the consent of all heirs.
Once appointed, we handle probate filing, property management, and the real estate sale, everything in one engagement. By doing so, we spare grieving family and friends from the time-intensive and frustrating probate process.
In Your Will
Having trouble naming an executor in your will? Perhaps you can’t think of a suitable person nearby. Or maybe you don’t want to burden your friends and family. Whatever the reason, choosing a professional executor may be your answer.
Why Clients Choose Us
Most families hire a probate attorney, then separately find an executor, then separately hire a real estate broker. Three parties, no one in charge of the timeline.
We do all three. One firm manages probate, the estate administration, and the property sale from start to close. There’s no coordination overhead, no delays waiting on separate parties, and no one to blame when things fall through the cracks.
Examples of Professional Executor Cases
Named in Your Will
You’re finally making your estate plan, and you’ve decided to name me as professional executor in your will. I’ll be glad to work with your estate planning attorney (or with you, if it’s a DIY will) to formalize my nomination as your executor.
Out-of-State Heirs
After a loved one’s death, heirs who live outside of New York quickly realize how difficult it will be to settle an estate from afar. Sometimes it’s because they don’t want to travel back and forth over the next several months. Other times it’s just about being totally unfamiliar all the local rules and customs. Whatever the reason, many folks are all too glad to delegate the executor job to a hired professional.
Bonded and Insured
New York Probate Courts sometimes requires the executor to file a bond. But many executors don’t qualify for a bond, due to poor credit or other reasons. A bonded and insured professional executor may be your solution.
Professional Executor FAQs
What is a professional executor and why would I need one?
A professional executor is someone hired to manage and settle an estate, instead of relying on a family member to do it. Professional executors are typically attorneys or bank trust departments with experience navigating probate, managing assets, and handling real estate sales.
You might need one if: the named executor lives out of state or is unavailable; no one in the family wants the responsibility; the estate is complex; or family dynamics make a neutral third party the better choice.
Anthony S. Park PLLC is unique in that we serve as both attorney and executor. Meaning one firm handles the legal work and the fiduciary role, without needing to coordinate between separate parties.
How much does a professional executor cost in New York?
Executor fees in New York are set by state law (SCPA 2307) and are paid from estate funds, not out of pocket:
5% on the first $100,000
4% on the next $200,000
3% on the next $700,000
2.5% on the next $4,000,000
2% on amounts over $5,000,000
On a $350,000 estate, the executor commission is approximately $14,500.
My family member died in New York but I live out of state: can you handle everything?
Yes, this is our most common situation. Most of our clients inherited NY real estate but live in another state (or country) and can’t be here to manage the process in person.
We handle everything: filing in Surrogate’s Court, managing the property, dealing with tenants or maintenance issues, listing and selling the real estate, paying estate debts, and distributing the proceeds to you. You don’t need to fly to New York.
Can the same firm act as both attorney and executor?
Yes, and this is one of the main reasons clients choose us. Most people don’t realize that an attorney can also serve as the executor of the estate.
When one firm handles both roles, there’s no back-and-forth between your lawyer and your executor. Decisions get made faster, costs are often lower, and nothing falls through the cracks. We’ve built our practice specifically around this combined model.
What if there’s no one willing or able to serve as executor?
If no family member is willing, able, or eligible to serve, the court can appoint a professional fiduciary, which is exactly what we do. We petition the Surrogate’s Court to be appointed as administrator or executor and take it from there.
Common situations: the named executor has died or renounced; all family members live outside the U.S. (which disqualifies them under NY law); the family is in conflict and needs a neutral party; or the estate is simply too complex for a non-professional to manage.
How long does it take to settle an estate with a professional executor?
The same timeline applies regardless of who serves as executor: typically 12–18 months for a straightforward NY estate with real estate. Where a professional executor saves time is in avoiding the delays that come from an inexperienced executor making procedural errors, missing deadlines, or not knowing how to navigate Surrogate’s Court.
We also begin preparing the property for sale in parallel with the probate filing, which means the real estate is often ready to list the moment we have legal authority, shaving months off the overall timeline.
About Anthony
I enjoy the challenge of unscrambling a messy estate, and simplifying it to inheritance checks for the heirs. Must be the puzzle-lover in me.
Besides lawyering, I’ve owned businesses ranging from an H&R Block franchise to a biodiesel refinery in Africa.
Lately, I’ve been focused on my podcast and YouTube channel, and publishing best-selling Amazon books:
I grew up and live on the Upper West Side with my wife and 2 kids. I ride Citibike everywhere, and play pickup soccer every weekend.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
Or call us at 212-401-2990.
