FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com AUGUST 13, 2015 • BUSINESS • THE QUEENS COURIER 39 business Employment Matters: Making a Good First Impression Dear Mindy, I am getting ready for a really important interview. What tips do you have for making a good impression? Need Help in Bayside Dear Need, The fi rst few minutes of an interview can set the tone for the entire meeting and the slightest mistake can ruin your chances for success. As Will Rogers once said, “You never get a second chance to make a good fi rst impression.” With that in mind, here are some job-search tips to ensure your interview begins on the right foot. Research the company. Before you walk into the offi ce, be sure you know something about the company. This shows your interest and gives you the opportunity to engage in conversation about things that matter to the organization. Is the company acquiring another business? Did they recently receive a prestigious award? These are all pieces of information that can be great conversation starters. Dress for success. Your clothing, grooming, hygiene and hairstyle are an integral part of your professional brand. Consider your target employer’s company culture when selecting your interview outfi t so you look like you’re already a part of the team. Regardless of the company’s dress code, make sure your outfi t fi ts you well, is clean and pressed, and looks put together. Your interview starts before you enter the office. Your interview starts as soon as you enter the premises. Assume everyone you encounter, from the security guard to the receptionist is part of the vetting process. Be friendly and considerate with those around you, including others waiting for interviews. Don’t talk on the phone or gulp down a quick meal in the waiting room. Instead, focus on reviewing your materials and mentally preparing for your meeting. Show confidence. Most interviews begin with someone asking you to “tell me about yourself.” This is the perfect opportunity to describe how your experience and successes can transfer easily to the new organization and provide value to the employer. Be prepared with memorable examples of how you have demonstrated your qualifi cations in the past. Smile. Make sure your body is sending positive vibes. Don’t fold your arms or stick your hands in your pockets. Lean a little forward in your chair to indicate your interest, but don’t invade the interviewer’s space. Maintain eye contact and don’t forget to smile! If you would like more tips to about how to ace your interview, or would like an expert to help prepare you for that important interview day, contact Mindy directly at www.askmindynnow.com Mindy Stern, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, ACC is a trusted HR advisor, career coach, author, speaker and president of AIM Resource Group Inc. Visit the website at www.aimresourcegroup. com or call 718-217-1074 to get RESULTS! Do you want your questions answered in this column? Send requests to: www.askmindynow.com The Elder Law Minute TM Probate 101 BY RONALD A. FATOULLAH, ESQ. AND YAN LIAN KUANG-MAOGA, ESQ. Many individuals don’t quite understand what the term “probate” means, but they have a notion that “probate” is something that they should avoid. Probate is the legal process by which assets of a deceased individual are distributed either according to his or her Last Will and Testament, or by state law if there is no Will (an “administration” proceeding). When a person dies, his or her assets must be separated into two categories: (1) Non-probate: Non-probate assets are any assets for which the inheritors have been specifi cally named. Some examples are accounts with benefi ciary designations, in-trust-for accounts, Totten trusts, or joint assets with the right of survivorship. (2) Probate: all other assets in the name of the deceased. Non-probate assets will pass to the named benefi ciary or joint owner by operation of law, and therefore, the Will will have no relevance and will not control those assets. The probate process is only necessary when probate assets are left solely in the name of the deceased without a benefi ciary designation. Even then, provided the total value of the assets is minimal and the identity of the heirs can be established, an affi davit may be suffi cient to get the assets distributed to the heirs. When a person dies without a Will, his or her probate assets go through an “administration proceeding.” When a person dies with a Will, the probate assets go through a “probate proceeding.” An administration proceeding is the process by which an heir of the deceased person will petition to the Surrogate’s Court to become the administrator of the estate of the deceased. The individual who may seek to become the administrator is determined by law and starts with the decedent’s spouse, then any of his or her children if there is no spouse, and so forth. If approved by the Surrogate, the administrator will be issued “letters of administration” as proof of his or her authority to handle the estate of the decedent. The administrator is often required to fi le a bond as a condition of being appointed. Once appointed, the administrator is responsible for getting an employee identifi cation number (EIN) for the estate, opening an estate account, locating and collecting all estate assets, paying debts and income and estate taxes if any, and then distributing the remaining assets according to a list provided under state statute. For example, if the decedent is survived by a spouse but no children, the spouse will get all of the assets. However, if the decedent is survived by a spouse and children, the spouse will get fi rst $50,000 and the remainder will be divided and distributed 50% to the spouse and 50% to the children. A probate proceeding is the process by which a deceased person’s Last Will and Testament (“Will”) is proven to the Surrogate’s Court to be valid, after which the terms of the will are legally enforceable. The process entails the following: (1) Filing the original Will with a verifi ed petition for letters of testamentary to the Surrogate’s Court in the county where the deceased person was domiciled; (2) Providing notice to any and all individuals who would inherit from the deceased if there was no Will. This gives those individuals an opportunity to fi le objections as to why the Will is not valid and/or why the nominated executor should not be authorized to carry out the instructions of the Will; (3) Once the nominated executor is appointed, he or she will receive “letters of testamentary” as proof of his or her authority to handle the estate of the deceased; (4) The executor is then responsible for getting an employee identifi cation number (EIN) for the estate, opening an estate account, locating and collecting all estate assets, paying debts and income and ELDER LAW RONALD FATOULLAH ESQ, CELA* estate taxes, if any, and then distributing the remaining assets according to the decedent’s Will. For individuals with assets in another state, an administration or probate proceeding may have to be initiated in the other state (an “ancillary probate”) as well as in New York. The best way to avoid probate is to have all assets held by a living trust, whether revocable or irrevocable. Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq. is the principal of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a law fi rm that concentrates in elder law, estate planning, Medicaid planning, guardianships, estate administration, trusts, wills, and real estate. Yan Lian Kuang-Maoga, Esq. is an elder law attorney with the fi rm. The law fi rm can be reached at 718-261-1700, 516-466-4422, or toll free at 1-877-ELDER-LAW or 1-877-ESTATES. Mr. Fatoullah is also the co-founder of JR Wealth Advisors, LLC. The wealth management fi rm can be reached at 516-466-3300 or 800-353-3775.
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