Access the Probate Booklet

Bergen County Surrogate Michael R. Dressler has printed English, Korean, and Spanish versions of the fifth edition of a booklet entitled “How to Probate a Last Will & Testament in the Bergen County Surrogate’s Court.”

You may view each version of the booklet by clicking on the links below. These booklets are designed to help residents understand the probate process before they come to the Surrogate’s Court, so that they can better prepare for the legacy they have worked their entire lives to achieve.

English Version Korean Version Spanish Version

                We encourage you to download and review the booklet before visiting our office. If you have any
                questions after reading it, please call us—we are happy to help clarify anything that is unclear.
            

What’s New in the Latest Edition

The 2025 edition of the booklet includes important information on how the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as well as recent changes to New Jersey estate tax law (N.J.S.A. 54:38-1 et seq.), affect various estates. It also contains a section on taking your digital assets into consideration and new Frequently Asked Questions regarding a POLST Form (Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) and a Funeral Agent, both of which have been brought up by local residents in meetings throughout the County.

Before this edition, the most recent upgrade in 2015 and 2018 included four additional sections on:

Federal Estate Tax
Frequently Asked Questions
Outreach
The History of the Court

Those editions also include an important clarification in the matter of executor commissions in the State of New Jersey, stating that “executor commissions are only allowable on ‘probate assets’ and on real estate which comes into the hands of the executor.”

Message from Surrogate Michael R. Dressler

“I have published several editions of this booklet in English, Korean and Spanish to help the residents of Bergen County to plan for the legacy that they have worked their entire lives to achieve, and I am pleased that they are so popular,” said Bergen County Surrogate Michael R. Dressler.

“The last thing I want is for someone to reach my office and to have not had an opportunity to review critical information, or to find out that their recently deceased loved ones were not prepared.”

            Our office believes strongly in education, preparation, and compassion. These booklets are one way we
            strive to make sure every resident has access to clear, practical guidance before they ever set foot
            in the courthouse.
        

Questions About the Booklet or Probate?

If you would like a printed copy of the booklet, need help downloading it, or have questions about how the information applies to your situation, please contact the Bergen County Surrogate’s Court. Our staff is honored to serve our friends, neighbors, and families here in Bergen County.

Address:
Bergen County Surrogate’s Court
Two Bergen County Plaza, Suite 5000
Hackensack, NJ 07601

Phone: (201) 336-6700
Website: www.bergencountysurrogate.com

We are grateful for the dedicated staff who work every day to care for our community with clarity, professionalism, and kindness.