Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales: La versión en español la encontrará al reverso
Looking Out
For Your Legal Rights
®
May 2012
Vol ume 31, Num ber 4
Published by Legal Services of New Jersey
Wills and Estates
EVEN IF YOU have no property or assets (anything
WILLS AND ESTATES
l
Before you prepare your
will, you should review
your assets and liabilities
to know approximately
what your estate is worth.
Page 1
l
What are the legal requirements for making a
will? Page 3
l
Who should get a copy
of your will? Page 4
l
What does it mean to
probate a will? Page 5
l
What happens after the
will is probated? Page 7
l
What happens if a person dies without a will?
Page 8
The U.S. government has
designated Syria for Temporary Protected Status.
Page 11
Cuáles Son Sus
Derechos Legales
La versión en
español la encontrará
al reverso.
that could be turned into cash), it may be a good
idea to have a will. In a will, you select an executor (a
person to oversee your estate, pay your bills, and
make funeral arrangements). You may state in your
will that your executor may serve without buying a
bond (a special license that must be purchased from
the state). This may save money. You may also name
a guardian for small children or appoint a trustee to
Even if you have no property or assets (anything
that could be turned into cash), it may be a
good idea to have a will.
manage any money you leave to them. This article
explains how to prepare a will, what to do after you
write a will, probating a will, what happens if you die
without a will, and what estate and inheritance taxes
your beneficiaries may have to pay.
How to Prepare a Will
Review your assets and liabilities. Before you prepare your will, you should review your assets and liabilities (outstanding expenses or debt) to know
approximately what your estate (property) is worth.
You should then decide how you want your property
to be disposed of after you are gone. Generally,
Continued on page 2
New Jersey’s Community Legal Education Newsletter
Wills and Estates
continued from page 1
Identify probate property and non-probate property. Not all of your property
can be disposed of by a will. Probate property can be disposed of by a will, but
non-probate property cannot.
Probate property. Real estate, bank accounts, and securities held in your name
alone are examples of probate property.
You can direct how you want this property
to be dealt with in your will. Real estate,
bank accounts, and securities that you
own jointly with someone else and that
have a right of survivorship will go to the
other surviving owner, regardless of what
the will says. For example, in New Jersey, a
husband and wife usually own their home
as tenants by the entirety. This means that
when one spouse dies, the home goes to
the other. The same is true for domestic
partners or civil union partners.
Non-probate property. Proceeds from
life insurance policies and retirement
plans are common forms of non-probate property. If you have life insurance
or a retirement plan, you will have already named a beneficiary for those investments. When you die, these assets
will go to the bene ficiary you have
named in the policy or plan, regardless
of whether or not you have a will and
what your will directs.
Name an executor. You should also
name an executor in your will. The executor’s job is to make sure that your assets
are properly disposed of. He or she must
also make sure that all taxes are paid and
other legal requirements are met. You
may name a relative, a friend, or your lawyer as the executor of your will. The executor should be a responsible person you
can trust, who is likely to be available
when you die. Because handling the
specific pieces of property or amounts of
money are given to named family members, friends, or institutions, and then the
remainder of the estate is given to a designated person or group of people. The
people or institutions who receive property or money are called beneficiaries.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights®
About Looking Out
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights is published 10 times a
year by Legal Services of New Jersey. If you are a Legal
Services client, you can pick up a copy at your local Legal Services office. You may also read Looking Out on
our website at www.lsnj.org.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are $20 a year. For more information,
please email [email protected].
Back Issues
View back issues at www.lsnj.org.
Change of Address
If you are moving, please send us your new address and
a copy of your Looking Out mailing label.
Comments
If you have any suggestions or comments about Looking
Out, we would like to hear from you. Please send all correspondence to:
Editor, Looking Out
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O. Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
[email protected]
This newsletter is for general information only. If you
have a legal problem, you should see a lawyer.
A portion of the cost of this publication was supported
by funds provided by the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of
New Jersey.
© 2012 Legal Services of New Jersey
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights is a federally registered trademark of Legal Services of New Jersey.
2
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
estate requires time, you might want to
name someone who lives near you. You
should also name a substitute executor
in case something happens to the person named as executor.
Use a letter of instructions to dispose of
minor items of property. You may choose
not to include small items of personal
property in your will. Instead of including these items in your will, you may list
them in a letter of instructions to the executor. This will avoid having to change
your will later if you change your mind
about leav ing some one a piece of
personal property.
The Legal Requirements for
Making a Will
Age. Anyone who is 18 years of age or
older and of sound mind may make his or
her own will. There is no requirement
that an attorney write a will. (You can write
your own will in your own handwriting.)
But it is a good idea to have a lawyer prepare the document if your estate is large
and if tax advice is necessary. A person not
licensed as an attorney is not allowed to
prepare a will for another person.
Witnesses. You and at least two witnesses must sign the will. Witnesses must
be over the age of 18 and competent (of
sound mind). You must sign the will with
the witnesses watching and then the witnesses must sign. If you cannot sign your
name, you may mark it with an X or have
someone else sign it for you in your presence, but the witnesses must state on the
document that even though you could
not sign your name, they saw you sign an
X or saw someone hold your hand while
you signed.
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
While New Jersey law permits a beneficiary to witness a will, it is recommended that a beneficiary witness be
used only when a non-beneficiary is not
available, in order to avoid future challenges to the will.
Making it Easier to Prove that
Your Will Is Valid
Witnesses. The purpose for having witnesses is so that they can testify that the
will was properly prepared and signed
when it is probated. (Probated means that
the will has been filed with the Surrogate’s Court, and the Surrogate’s Court
has found it to be genuine and legally acceptable.) If the will is found to be legally acceptable, it will be admitted to
probate. If anyone with an interest in the
will objects to the will being probated,
he or she must file an objection in writing. This object is called a will contest.
The will contest will be heard by a Superior Court judge in the probate part of
the court.
Make the will self-proving. To avoid the
need for witnesses to come and testify
later about the validity of your will, you
should make your will self-proving. To
make a will self-proving, the person making the will (the testator) and the witnesses must each sign a self-proving
3
affidavit that the testator is over 18, of
sound mind, and voluntarily making the
will. These statements must be signed
before a notary public or an attorney. A
will can be made self-proving either at
the time it is written or any time after it
is prepared.
Handwrite your will. If you handwrite
your own will, it is called a holographic
will. A holographic will does not have to
meet all the formal requirements for a
will. Although you do not need witnesses, it is a good idea to have two witnesses to make your document more
credible. You may want to make this type
of will if there is an emergency and you
need to have a will prepared quickly.
Otherwise, it is important that your will
be properly prepared and signed. If it is
not done as required by law, it will not be
valid and your property will be distributed as if you did not have a will.
After Your Will is Written
Who should get a copy of your will? Give
a copy of your will to your executor and
to your attorney, if you have one. Keep
the original copy in a safe place where it
can be found upon your death. Your safe
deposit box is a very good place to keep
Children born or adopted after a will is written will
receive the share of the property that they would
get if there were no will at all.
4
the original, or you may ask your executor to keep the original in his or her own
safe deposit box so it will be easy to find
after your death.
What should you do to change your will?
You may change your will in several different ways. A will may be canceled by
being destroyed or torn up. A will may
also be canceled if you write a new will
that is different from the first. The most
recent will is the one that controls how
the property is distributed.
What should you do to cancel your will?
You may change your will without writing a new one by adding a codicil to your
existing will. This is a provision stating
the changes you want to make in the
original will without including all the
provisions that are still in effect. A codicil must be signed and witnessed in the
same way as the will. The witnesses to the
codicil do not have to be the same people. The codicil should then be kept
with the will. Writing changes on the
margins of the will is not the proper way
to change a will. In fact, writing on the
will may make all or parts of the will in
valid. You should not write on the will or
remove any of the staples or the binder
holding the will together.
What happens if you have children after
your will is written? Under New Jersey
law, children born or adopted after a
will is written will receive the share of the
property that they would get if there
were no will at all. There are special
rules to guide the courts about what to
do when a person dies without a will
(dies intestate). See below for more information about what happens if a person
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
Probating a will is the process of having a court review it to make
certain it has been properly prepared and is valid and legal.
dies intestate. If a child is not mentioned
by name in a will, he or she may have to
prove their relationship to the deceased
in order to take a portion of the estate.
What happens if you leave property to
someone who dies before you do? If someone you leave property to in your will
dies before you do, the property he or
she would have inherited may go to his
or her descendants (children) unless you
direct otherwise in the will. If there are
no descendants, the property passes to
the residuary legatee (the person named
in the will who is to inherit the rest of the
property after all designated property
has been distributed). If there is no such
person named, the leftover property will
be divided up as though there had not
been a will.
What are the rights of a spouse or domestic partner or civil union partner to the property of a deceased spouse or partner? A
surviving spouse, domestic partner, or
civil union partner has the right to take
one-third of the augmented estate of the
deceased partner or spouse regardless
of what the will states. The rules on what
is included and what is excluded in this
augmented estate are complicated, and
it is best to get legal advice to figure it
out. For example, property you give
away within a certain time period before
your death may be considered part of
your augmented estate.
If you do not provide for your spouse,
domestic partner, or civil union partner
in your will or leave less than one-third of
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
your augmented estate to your spouse or
partner, he or she may elect instead to
take a one-third share of the augmented
estate. This is true even if you intended to
leave your spouse or partner out of your
will or if you transferred property to him
or her instead of providing for him or her
in the will. However, if you are separated
at the time you die, your spouse or partner will not be eligible for this elective
share. If your domestic partnership, civil
union, or marriage is dissolved or annulled, any provisions of your will giving
property to your former partner or
spouse are automatically canceled.
What Does It Mean to Probate a Will?
Probating a will is the process of having a court review it to make certain it
has been properly prepared and is valid
and legal. If the deceased appointed an
executor in his or her will, that executor
must apply to the Surrogate’s Court for
probate of the will. Objections to the
probate of a will may be filed by any party
with an interest in the will.
What is the Surrogate’s Court? The Surrogate’s Court is a part of the New Jersey
Superior Court system. It is an office that
consists of a surrogate who is elected by
the voters of the county for a five-year
term, a special deputy surrogate, special
probate clerks, and other employees
who help the surrogate.
The Surrogate’s Court is both a separate “court” and an administrative office.
The staff of the surrogate sometimes act
as clerks for the Superior Court who
5
accept the filing of legal documents for
certain kinds of cases, such as adoptions,
guard ian ships, etc. The Sur ro gate’s
Court then schedules the necessary hearings before a Superior Court judge. The
Surrogate’s Court handles the probating
of wills in cases where there is no challenge to the will. If an interested party
challenges a will, the surrogate must
schedule the case for a hearing by a Superior Court judge. If a person dies without
a will, the surrogate will issue what are
called letters of administration. The surrogate will then appoint an administrator
to distribute the property.
Many county surrogate offices now
offer pamphlets describing what the surrogate does, along with the general process of estate administration. For a list of
the county sur ro gates, go to www.
judiciary.state.nj.us/directory/
surrogateroster.pdf.
How to file an application with the
surrogate. The application for probate of
a will or for letters of administration is
filed with the Surrogate’s Court in the
county in which the decedent (dead person) was living at the time of death, un-
Under New Jersey law, you must wait 10 full days
after a death to probate a will.
6
less the person was not living in New Jersey. (If they passed away in another state,
the application is filed in the Surrogate’s
Court of any county where the decedent
had property.) The Surrogate’s Court
may only perform routine and administrative functions. The Surrogate's Court
may not get involved in any dispute. In
cases where there is some sort of dispute, the New Jersey Superior Court,
Chancery Division, Probate Part will resolve the matter. Any interested person
must file a complaint with the New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division,
Probate Part, by filing it with the surrogate in his or her capacity as deputy clerk
of the Chancery Division, Probate Part.
If the Surrogate’s Court has already
probated a will or issued letters of administration, any person who has a problem with the way the will is written, or has
an objection to it, may file a complaint
with the Chancery Division, Probate
Part. The complaint should ask for a review of the Surrogate Court’s action. For
copies of the forms used to (1) request
copies of the surrogate’s records, or (2)
file for a review of the probate of the will
or other types of challenges to the will,
visit the New Jersey Courts website at
www.ju di ciary.state.nj.us/civil/forms/
11215_model_probate_osc.pdf.
What does the executor of a will do to get
a will probated? Under New Jersey law,
you must wait 10 full days after a death to
probate a will. The executor of the will
must post a bond with the Surrogate’s
Court. However, when the executor is a
friend or family member, the will may
state that no bond is required. The executor must sign an affidavit stating that he
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
Within 60 days from the date that the will is probated, the executor
must mail a copy of the will to all beneficiaries
(people receiving property under the will).
or she will ad min is ter the estate
according to law.
The executor then gives the surrogate a power of attorney. This allows the
surrogate to accept court papers if someone sues the estate. The surrogate may
then mail a copy of the papers to the executor at the address given in the power
of attorney.
An executor serving under a will may
sue and be sued as a personal representative of the decedent. If the decedent’s
death was wrongfully caused by someone else, the executor may sue that
other person.
Sometimes a will makes it necessary
to appoint a trustee. For example, if
money is left in trust for minor children
with delivery of the money to be made
when the children reach maturity, then
someone else must take care of that trust
until the children are adults. In such a
case, the potential trustee must file a
sworn, written acceptance of the trusteeship. Like the executor, the trustee must
also give a power of attorney to the
surrogate.
After all of the necessary steps have
been completed, the Surrogate’s Court
admits the will to probate and gives the
executor documents known as letters testamentary, which authorize the executor
to administer the estate.
After the Will is Probated
Notice of the probate. Within 60 days
from the date that the will is probated,
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
the executor must mail a copy of the will
to all ben e fi cia ries (peo ple re ceiv ing
property under the will). The executor
must also mail notice to the decedent’s
spouse, heirs, next of kin, and other beneficiaries. The notice must state the date
and place of the probate of the will.
If the will gives property to a charity, a
similar notice and copy of the will must
also be sent to the attorney general of
New Jersey.
Collecting property and paying debt.
The executor is under an immediate
duty to collect the property of the estate.
The executor must also find out what
debts the estate has and must pay the decedent’s debts out of the estate. Funeral
ex penses and administration expenses
must be paid first before other debts.
Administration expenses include lawyers’ fees and all costs reasonably incurred by the executor in administering
the estate.
Limiting creditors of the estate. In order
to find out how much debt the estate has
and to settle the estate as soon as possible, the executor may get an order to
limit creditors of the estate. This requires the executor to publish a notice
to creditors in the local newspapers that
they must present their claims to the executor within six months of the date of
the or der. The order must also be
mailed to each creditor of the estate
known to or ascertainable by the execu7
The executor must prepare and file the last income
tax return for the decedent.
tor. A creditor’s claim must specify the
amount claimed and the reason for the
claim. If a claim is not presented within
six months, the executor will not be liab l e t o th e c r e d i t o r i f t h e re a r e
insufficient assets to cover the claim.
Preparing and filing an income tax return for the estate. It is also the duty of the
executor to prepare and file the last income tax return for the decedent. This
return is due at the same time the decedent would have had to file had he or
she lived. Generally, a joint return may
be filed in the case of a married decedent for the year of his or her death.
Dying Without a Will
What happens if a person dies without a
will? The estate of a person who dies
without a will is called an intestate estate.
A person who wants to take charge of settling the estate of someone who dies
without a will must apply to the county
surrogate to be appointed to be the Administrator of the intestate estate.
How is an estate administered when
there is no will? In some counties, an application for administration of the estate
of someone without a will (intestate)
8
may be made at any time after death. In
others, application may not be made until five full days after death. There is no
need to wait the 10 days required for
proceedings involving a will.
If the decedent was married, in a domestic partnership, or in a civil union,
the spouse, domestic partner, or civil
union partner has the first right to apply to the surrogate for letters of administration. If there is no surviving spouse,
civil union partner, or domestic partner, the right to administer the estate
then goes to the next of kin in order of
degree.
A person applying to administer the estate must ensure that no other adult with
an equal or greater right to administer the
estate wants to be granted the letters of administration. If none of the heirs is willing
to serve, then any other person may apply
to become administrator.
If no one files for administration
within 40 days after the death of the intestate person, the court may grant letters of administration to any fit person.
Sometimes that person is the funeral director or other creditor or an attorney.
The application in an intestacy proceeding is almost identical to the application that is filed in a proceeding with a
will. It is also necessary for an administrator to file a power of attorney with the Surro gate’s Court. Be fore let ters of
administration will be given, an administrator is required to sign an affidavit saying
that he or she will perform the duties of
administrator. The administrator is also
required to give a bond as security for the
benefit of creditors and relatives. The
amount of the bond, in most cases, must
cover all personal property. The amount
or value of cash, jewelry, bank accounts,
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
Right now, there is no federal estate tax imposed on a surviving
spouse. In most cases, there will be no tax due, and a federal
estate tax return will not need to be filed.
stocks, bonds, cars, etc. is considered in
fixing the size of the bond.
How is property disposed of without a
will? The procedures for distributing assets and terminating an estate when no
will was left are essentially like those involving a will, except that the distribution of property is made according to
New Jersey’s laws of intestacy.
What happens with small estates? If the
total of all the real and personal property of an intestate person does not exceed $10,000 and there is a surviving
spouse, civil union partner, or domestic
partner, the spouse or civil union partner or domestic partner is entitled to all
the assets free from the decedent’s
debts, up to $5,000. In such a case, the
spouse or civil union partner does not
need to file for letters of administration.
Instead, an affidavit maybe filed in Surrogate’s Court stating that the person is
the surviving spouse, civil union partner, or domestic partner and that the
real and personal assets are not worth
more than $10,000.
The surviving spouse, civil union
partner, or domestic partner will then
have all the rights, powers, and duties of
an administrator. The affidavit must
also specifically identify all of the individual pieces of property, stating where
they can be found and their value. It
must also say where the decedent resided at the time of his or her death.
The spouse, civil union partner, or doLooking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
mestic partner is entitled to take only
the property listed. If additional property is discovered later and if the total
exceeds $10,000, an application for
letters of administration must then
be made.
If there is no surviving spouse, civil
union partner, or domestic partner and
the estate is worth $5,000 or less, the
next of kin may follow this same procedure. However, in this case the decedent’s assets are distributed to all next of
kin and creditors.
Federal and State Estate Taxes and
Inheritance Tax
Federal estate taxes. Federal law imposes an estate tax on estates over a certain value. Right now, there is no federal
es tate tax im posed on a sur viv ing
spouse. (This federal tax probably does
not apply to a surviving civil union partner or domestic partner.) In most cases,
there will be no tax due and a federal estate tax return will not need to be filed.
Deductions and credits may reduce the
taxable estate below the level at which a
tax must be paid. If you are the executor
of an estate, it is best to consult with a tax
professional or an attorney about how to
pay any taxes that might be owed.
New Jersey estate taxes. New Jersey imposes an estate tax on estates in excess of
$675,000. There may be exemptions
and credits that will reduce what you
must pay, but it is best to consult with a
9
New Jersey imposes estate tax on estates in excess
of $675,000 and transfer inheritance tax on the
transfer of property valued at more than $500.
tax professional or an attorney to make
certain that you are complying with the
law. There are also tax waivers that may
be filed.
State inheritance taxes. The New Jersey
Transfer Inheritance Tax is imposed on
the transfer of real and personal property valued at more than $500. Unlike
federal estate tax, the New Jersey inheritance tax is imposed on the value of the
property transferred, not on the value of
the estate. This tax applies to property
transferred at death by will or under the
laws of intestacy. Under certain circumstances, this tax may also apply to property transferred by the decedent by
deed, sale, or gift within three years before the decedent’s death. The amount
of the inheritance tax depends upon the
value of the property transferred and
the relationship of the property’s transferee (recipient) to the decedent. Transfer to Class A beneficiaries, including
spouses, children, parents, grandparents, and grandchildren, are tax exempt. Transfers to other beneficiaries
are taxed at rates from 11 to 16 percent.
Tax returns. Formal tax returns are
due eight months after the decedent’s
death. If the inheritance tax is not paid
within eight months, interest will accrue
and no tax waivers will be issued until
payment is received. Forms for filing the
Inheritance Tax Return can be obtained
from the The Division of Taxation, Individual Tax Audit Branch, Inheritance
and Estate Tax, Attention: Estate Tax
Section, P.O. Box 249, Trenton, New
Jersey 08695-0249. You may also call
(609)292-5033 or visit www.state.nj.us/
r
treasury/taxation/inheritance.shtml.
This article was updated by Deborah Fennelly, Senior Attorney, Legal Services of New Jersey
Articles in this issue are available on our website,
www.lsnjlaw.org.
10
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
Temporary Protected Status for Syrians
THE U.S. government has designated
Syria for Temporary Protected Status. If
granted, Temporary Protected Status
(TPS) allows Syrians to stay and work lawfully in the United States until September
30, 2013. This period may be extended by
the U.S. government in the future.
Syrians are eligible to apply for Temporary Protected Status if they:
l Are citizens/nationals of Syria, or
have no nationality but last resided in Syria, AND
l Have resided in the United States
since March 29, 2012, or earlier.
Eligible Syrians must apply for TPS
and submit the appropriate forms (I-821
and I-765) and supporting documentation by September 25, 2012. The total filing fees are $515, but applicants may
submit a fee waiver request (Form I-912)
with supporting evidence that they are
unable to pay the fees. Additional information and instructions can be found
on the website of the U.S. Citizenship
and
Im mi gra tion
Ser vi ces,
www.uscis.gov.
Syrians should seek legal advice before applying for TPS, particularly if
they have been arrested or convicted for
a criminal offense. They may not be eligible for Temporary Protected Status if
they have certain criminal convictions,
and filing for TPS may trigger removal
proceedings.
Contact LSNJ-LAW™
LSNJ-LAW™, Legal Services of New
Jersey's statewide, toll-free legal hotline,
provides free legal advice and, in certain
cases, rep re senta tion to low-income
New Jersey residents. To find out if you
qualify for our services, you may apply
online at www.lsnjlawhotline.org. You
m a y a l s o c al l 1 - 8 8 8 - L S N J - L A W
(1-888-576-5529), Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and leave a
message for our Immigration Representation Project. Interpreters are available
r
for Arabic and other languages.
Order Form
q Yes, I want to subscribe to Looking Out For Your Legal Rights®. Enclosed is a
check/money order for $20.00 for a one-year subscription (10 issues).
q New Subscription
q Renewal (please attach mailing label)
q Please send me an e-mail subscription. E-mail address:_______________________
Name _________________________________________
Address _______________________________________
City, State, ZIP _________________________________
5/12
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights / May 2012
Make checks payable to
Legal Services of New Jersey
Mail coupon and payment to
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O. Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
11
Looking Out For Your Legal Rights: flip over for English edition
Cuáles Son Sus
Derechos Legales
Mayo 2012
Si no habla ni entiende
bien el inglés, podría tener
derecho a recibir gratis los
servicios de un intérprete y
la información en su
idioma, cada vez que visite
ciertas agencias.
Looking Out
For Your Legal Rights
Flip issue over for the
English edition of
Looking Out for Your
Legal Rights.
Publicado por Los Servicios Legales de Nueva Jersey
Ayuda en su idioma
Si el inglés no es su lengua materna, y no lo habla
ni lo lee bien, tal vez tenga derecho a recibir ayuda
en su idioma
SI USTED NO HABLA ni entiende bien el inglés, las
agencias tales como las oficinas del gobierno, escuelas,
tribunales, hospitales, policía, cuerpos de bomberos, y
agencias sin ánimo de lucro, como las oficinas de los
Servicios Legales, tienen que proveerle gratis un
intérprete y traducir los materiales si usted los
necesita. Nuestras leyes consideran que recibir ayuda
continúa en la página 2
El boletín de educación jurídica para los habitantes de Nueva Jersey
continúa de la página 1
en su propio idioma es un derecho civil
básico. No suministrarle ayuda en su
idioma es una forma de discriminación.
Para obtener más información sobre lo
que dicen las leyes estatales y federales
con respecto a recibir ayuda en su
idioma, visite el Sitio Web del gobierno
federal sobre el conocimiento limitado
del inglés, www.lep.gov.
¿Cómo hago para pedir un intérprete?
Las agencias deben darle ayuda en su
idioma desde su primera visita en persona o llamada telefónica a aquella
agenci a. La agencia ti ene q ue
identificar el idioma que usted habla y
comunicase con usted en esta lengua. Si
la agencia no lo hace, dígale a la persona
con quien hable cuál es su lengua
materna y pídale un intérprete.
¿Quién llena los requisitos para recibir
ayuda en su propio idioma?
Si no puede hablar inglés o si lo
habla un poco, pero se siente más
cómodo hablando en su l engua
materna, a usted, se le considera ser
una persona que tiene un
conocimiento limitado del inglés, Limited English Proficient (LEP). Si usted no
habla ni entiende nada de inglés o no lo
habla ni lo entiende bastante bien
como para entender lo que pasa en un
hospital, una sala del tribunal o en una
conversación con su abogado, la ley
dice que a usted se le tiene que dar
ayuda en su idioma.
¿Tiene la agencia que darme un intérprete?
Una vez haya hecho la petición para
los servicios de un intérprete, la agencia
tiene que darle dicha asistencia. Esto
sucede sin tener en cuenta cuál sea su
lengua materna. A la agencia no se le
permite decir que no tiene servicios de
interpretación en su idioma. Si una
agencia se rehúsa, dígales que la ley dice
que le tienen que proporcionar un
intérprete.
La agencia puede elegir qué tipo de
interprete darle. Puede darle un
intérprete local o un empleado bilingüe
o usar un servicio telefónico de
interpretación.
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales
Con respecto a Looking Out
Looking Out for Your Legal Rights® es publicada 10 veces al año
por los Servicios Legales de Nueva Jersey. Si usted es un
cliente de los Servicios Legales, puede obtener una copia en
la oficina de Servicios Legales de su localidad. También
puede l e e r L o o k i n g O u t e n n u e s t r o sitio W e b
www.lsnj.org/espanol.
Suscripciones
La suscripción cuesta $20 dólares por año.
Comentarios
Si tiene alguna sugerencia o comentario con respecto a Looking Out, nos gustaría oírlo. Envíe toda correspondencia a:
Editor, Looking Out
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
[email protected]
Números atrasados
Puede ver números atrasados en www.lsnj.org/espanol.
Este boletín de noticias es sólo una información general. Si tiene un problema jurídico, usted debería ver a
un abogado.
Cambio de Dirección
Si se muda, envíenos su nueva dirección y una copia de la
etiqueta pegada al ultimo ejemplar de Looking Out.
Una parte del costo de esta publicación se cubrió con
la ayuda proporcionada por el fondo IOLTA del
colegio de abogados de Nueva Jersey.
© 2012 Legal Services of New Jersey
2
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Mayo 2012
Tal vez tenga que esperar para recibir
los servicios de interpretación. Sin
embargo, pueda ser que la agencia no le
haga esperar mucho para obtener estos
servicios. Usted debería mantener la
cuenta de cuánto tarda para recibir los
servicios de interpretación.
desea, pero la agencia puede decidir el
utilizar uno propio.
¿Cuál es el trabajo del intérprete?
El trabajo del intérprete es interpretar
correctamente al inglés lo que usted le
dice en su lengua materna al personal de
alguna agencia estatal o gubernamental,
¿Tendré que pagar por los servicios
a un juez, a un abogado o a otro
de un intérprete?
proveedor de servicios. El intérprete
Según la ley, la agencia, entidad
también tiene que interpretar a su
gubernamental o agencia sin ánimo de
lengua materna lo que el empleado de la
lucro donde usted busca la ayuda tiene
agencia, el juez, el abogado, o cualquier
que pagarle al intérprete. Por ley, la
proveedor de servicios trate de decirle a
agencia no puede pedirle a usted que
usted en inglés.
pague por el servicio del intérprete.
Para poder hacer su trabajo
correctamente, el intérprete tiene que
¿Qué sucede si una agencia me dice
hablar bien tanto el inglés como la
que tengo que traer mi propio
lengua materna suya. Esto quiere decir
intérprete?
que el intérprete tiene que tener el
A menudo, las agencias les dicen a
mismo nivel de conocimiento del
las personas que no hablan inglés que
vocabulario en ambas lenguas. Los
deberían traer su propio intérprete.
intérpretes tienen que seguir otras
Conforme a la ley federal y estatal, las
reglas, tales como usar la misma peragencias no pueden pedirle a usted que
sona gramatical que usa el que esté
se valga de un amigo o miembro de la
hablando.
familia para que haga la interpretación
Hay algunas cosas que puede hacer
o traducción. Usted puede llevar a un
para ayudarle al intérprete a que haga
amigo o algún familiar para que le dé
un buen trabajo e interprete lo que
apoyo, pero la agencia
usted diga. Por ejemplo,
no le puede pedir a esa
no le hable al intérprete.
per sona que sirva de
En cambio, hable por
intérprete. Ciertos
medio del intérprete
miembros de la familia,
como si usted hablara
tales como los menores
directamente con quien
no pueden servir de
l e e s t á p r e s ta n do e l
intérpretes. La ley
servicio o con el juez.
prohíbe que una perTambién, si usted no le
sona menor de los 18
entiende al intérprete,
años de edad sirva de
haga que el intérprete le
intérprete.
pida al juez o al proveedor
Las agencias deben darle ayuda en su
Usted puede traer su idioma desde su primera visita en persona d e l s e r v i ci o q u e l e
propio intérprete si lo o llamada telefónica a aquella agencia. explique o repita lo que
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Mayo 2012
3
Para poder hacer su trabajo correctamente, el intérprete tiene
que hablar bien tanto el inglés como la lengua materna suya.
se dijo. No tenga miedo de hacerlo. Si
no puede entender al intérprete, usted
debería informárselo a la agencia que se
lo proporcionó.
¿Cuáles son algunas de las cosas qué el
intérprete no debería hacer?
El intérprete no tiene que ser ni su
amigo ni su asesor. Al intérprete se le
exige permanecer imparcial. Si usted
conoce al intérprete debido a que es un
amigo u o tra rel ación pe r sonal,
infórmeselo inmediatamente a algún
funcionario de la agencia, al juez, o su
abogado y pida otro intérprete.
El intérprete debe hablar sólo
cuando usted trate de hablar con un
empleado de la agencia, el juez, el
abogado, o cualquier otro proveedor de
servicios. Aunque usted puede sentirse
cómodo debido a la presencia del
intérprete porque él o ella habla su
lengua materna, el intérprete está
limitado sólo a desempeñar el papel de
intérprete.
El intérprete no puede darle ningún
consejo. El intérprete sólo puede
i n t e rp r e t ar e l c o n se j o o l a
comunicación que el personal de la
agencia, el juez, su abogado, o cualquier
otro proveedor de servicios le dé a usted.
Finalmente, al intérprete se le exige
que guarde su información personal de
una manera confidencial.
Si el intérprete no desempeña su
papel, quéjese por escrito ante la
agencia.
4
¿Qué debo hacer si la agencia se
rehúsa a proporcionarme un
intérprete?
Si la agenci a todavía no l e
proporciona un intérprete, quéjese
primero en persona y luego por escrito.
Asegúrese de anotar el nombre de la
persona con quien habló y cuándo lo
hizo. Conserve copias de todas las notas
y cartas. Usted debe tomar las siguientes
medidas:
l Conseguir el nombre y la dirección
de la persona y la agencia o negocio
que le negó su derecho.
l Pedir hablar con el supervisor de la
persona con quien habló.
l Si todavía no consigue un intérprete,
escriba una carta como queja a:
þ El alcalde, si la agencia es una
institución municipal
þ El gobernador del estado donde la
agencia está localizada;
þ El congresista que le representa;
þ Los representantes estatales o locales de su vecindario;
þ El di rec tor de la agencia o
negocio;
þ La División de Nueva Jersey para
los Derechos Civiles;
þ L a ag e n c i a f e d e r a l q u e l e
proporciona dinero a la agencia
que se rehúsa a darle un
intérprete;
þ El Departamento de Justicia de los
Estados Unidos.
l Entable una demanda formal ante el
Tribunal Superior.
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Mayo 2012
¿Tengo derecho a que me entreguen
materiales traducidos a mi lengua
materna?
La ley también exige que toda
agenci a traduzca gratui ta y
oportunamente los documentos vitales
(importantes). Esto incluye todo aviso
en cuanto a la reducción, la negativa, o
l a a nu l a c i ó n d e l o s s e r vi c i o s o
prestaciones; los avisos que requieren
que el participante dé una respuesta; los
avisos que ofrecen ayuda gratuita en su
idioma; los avisos relacionados con las
actividades laborales y los servicios
disponibles; los avisos de una cita; una
solicitud; los avisos de alguna
evaluación; y otros materiales escritos
que sean importantes. La agencia tiene
l a o b l i g ac i ó n de t r ad u c i r e st o s
documentos o proporcionarle una
traducción oral o a la vista de los mismos
a la lengua más comúnmente hablada
por la población LEP en su comunidad.
¿Dónde puedo acudir si
necesito ayuda?
Si no puede tomar estas medidas y
necesita ayuda para conseguir un
intérprete o materiales traducidos o
cómo entablar una demanda formal
contra una agencia o un intérprete,
póngase en contacto con LSNJ-LAW™,
la línea directa gratuita de asistencia
jurídica de los Servicios Legales de
Nueva
J er sey,
marcando
el
1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529) o el
(732) 572-9100 si llama desde fuera de
N u e v a J e r s e y . E l h o ra r i o d e
funcionamiento de la línea directa es de
lunes a viernes, desde las 8:00 de la
mañana hasta las 5:30 de la tarde. Si
usted no llena los requisitos para recibir
asistencia de los Servicios Legales, la
línea directa de LSNJ le enviará a otras
r
posibles fuentes de información.
Traducido por: Al Moreno, M.A., Coordinador de los
servicios lingüísticos en los Servicios Legales de
Nueva Jersey
Este artículo está disponible en nuestro sitio Web,
www.lsnjlaw.org/espanol.
Formulario para hacer el pedido
q Sí, quiero suscribirme a Looking Out for Your Legal Rights®/Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales.
Adjunto encontrará un cheque/giro postal por $20.00 dólares para una suscripción por un año
(10 ejemplares).
q Nueva suscripción
q Renovación de la suscripción
q Envíe solamente una subscripción por correo electrónico. Dirección del correo
electrónico: ______________________________________
Nombre ___________________________________________
Haga el cheque a nombre de
Legal Services of New Jersey
Dirección __________________________________________
Ciudad ____________________________________________
Estado, Código postal ________________________________
Envíe el formulario y el pago a
Legal Services of New Jersey
P.O. Box 1357
Edison, NJ 08818-1357
5/12
Cuáles Son Sus Derechos Legales / Mayo 2012
5