WTC Records Folder 0129 Disaster Miscellaneous label, 2001

NYC 9111 Public Portal Document 09/23/01 16:21 FAX 518 486 9693 GOVERNOR'S COUNSEL OFF. 0 003

DRAFT commence payments. Families will be required to sign statements indicating that they are indeed dependents instead of being compelled to testify. ` - more -

In addition, the Governor's office is working with bar associations to assemble a group of experienced Surrogate's Court practitioners who will be available to provide free legal assistance to the families.

The Governor's Executive Order also provides help so families can get quick access to needed assets that may be in bank accounts held in the name of their relative who was a victim of September 11's horrific events. A victim's spouse, or if there is no spouse, the guardian or care-giver to the victim's children, will be able to make withdrawals from the victim's bank accounts and money market mutual fund accounts by submitting affidavits (on Banking Department forms) to the financial institutions holding such accounts. Spouses and guardians/caregivers will be able to withdraw up to an aggregate total of $15,000 from all such accounts.

The Governor also announced that family members should be aware that: (1) if they have joint bank accounts with the victims, they can access those funds immediately to take care of the victims and their families, and (2) if the decedent's estate is $20,000 or less, they will be able to settle the estate with little court involvement.

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NYC-WTC 000137455