You can get estate information and assistance if a person has died without a will or without family who are able to administer the estate. 

The Office of the Public Administrator handles estates of the deceased when there is no will.  The Office administers the estate to the children when no person entitled to take or to share in the estate will accept the responsibility to act. Learn more about Public Administrators.

Residence of Deceased

If a deceased person lived alone, the police remove and safeguard valuables, and then seal the home. Then New York State is notified and the Public Administrator takes responsibility for the property.

If you need access to a sealed home, contact the Public Administrator. For immediate access due to a priority issue in a sealed home, such as broken water pipes, you should contact the police precinct closest to the address.

To locate a precinct, go to the Police Precincts and PSAs page.