When a person dies intestate, that person's property is distributed according to the law. In New York, that law is found in EPTL 4-1.1.A letter of instruction (LOI), also called a letter of intent. It provides your executor with important information about your assets and personal information. When a decedent, or a person who dies, leaves a will, a proceeding must be completed in the Surrogate's Court to probate or prove the will. Have you named a beneficiary on your bank accounts? A New York estate planning attorney explains the pros and cons of payable on death designations. File the petition for letters of administration in the relevant Surrogate Court court and pay the filing fee and any other additional charges. You will not have authority to act on behalf of the estate until the court issues you Letters of Administration. In New York, an interested party can petition the Surrogate's Court to request access to a deceased individual's safe deposit box.