Queens County, Consumer Law

Tools and Resources for Queens County, Consumers

Inheritance Law & Probate Procedure

• PROBATE COURT FINDER:
  
  • Probate Court for Queens County: Key information about your local probate court (Probate/City or Town Court in ) for Queens County.
• How Probate Works in : How to handle the probate of an inheritance at Queens County's probate court.
  • Here are links to probate forms from the probate court website.
• Small Estates Procedures in : Learn how to use 's Small Estate procedures that can save you time and money.

  • In Rhode Island, there's no Affidavit procedure available. You can use summary probate if the estate has no real estate and the value of the property that would be subject to probate (not counting tangible personal property) is less than $15,000.  (Assets not subject to probate are life insurance, retirement accounts, and any other accounts passing by beneficiary designation.)

    R.I. Gen. Laws 33-24-1.

• Estate Taxes:

  • , like most states, does not impose an estate or inheritance tax. Only a few states do.

• Avoiding Probate in . Find out what property bypasses probate death and goes directly to beneficiaries. such as:
  • Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs)

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Wage & Hour Law

• Minimum Wage:  

  • The minimum wage in Rhode Island is $14 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees must be paid at least $14 an hour. 

    Queens County Minimum Wage

    The minimum wage in all of New York City, including Queens County, is $15 an hour.

  • Find out more about the minimum wage in Rhode Island at https://dlt.ri.gov/wrs/laborstandards/.

• Overtime Pay: Every state has rules about weekly maximum hours and overtime. Learn about the overtime laws in and whether they apply to you.

  • If you work more than 40 hours in a workweek, your employer must pay you 1-1/2 times your regular hourly wage for each overtime hour you work, unless you are exempt. You are also entitled to 1-1/2 times our regular hourly wage for hours worked on Sundays or holidays, although these hours are not included when calculating weekly overtime hours. See Labor Standards FAQ, at the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training website, for more information on Rhode Island's overtime rules.

• Wage Claims: If you're being unlawfully underpaid, you need to learn how to file a "Wage Claim" in . 

  • The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training has posted the form and instructions to file a wage claim at its website. 

• Tips : Every state has special pay rates for tipped workers. Find out the rules for tipped workers in .

  • In , your employer may pay you a minimum wage of $3.89 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $14 an hour. If you don’t earn enough in tips to bring your compensation to the full minimum wage, your employer must make up the difference.

• State Labor Board:
  • Learn more about your rights under law from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. 401-462-8550

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Unemployment Benefits

• Benefit Amounts in : Learn how unemployment works, how much you'll get, and for how long.
  • In , unemployment benefits range from $66 per week to $705 per week.
  • Formula:

    In Rhode Island, your weekly benefit amount will be 3.85% of your average quarterly wages in the two highest paid quarters of the base period. 

  • Duration:

    In , you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks under state law. 

• Eligibility: >Whether you qualify for unemployment.
• How to Apply: How to apply for unemployment in .
• Unemployment Office Near Me? How to find your local unemployment office.

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Bankruptcy & Debt

• Free MEANS TEST CALCULATOR for Queens County (applies the state and county income and expense standards into your means test calculation. Updated with the latest median income and expense standards for April 1, 2024)
• Free BANKRUPTCY EXEMPTION FINDER: Search detailed listings of bankruptcy exemptions under law and Federal law, for use in filing out Schedule C, when you file for bankruptcy. 
• BANKRUPTCY COURT ESSENTIAL INFO: Get information about using your local bankruptcy court.
• FREE BANKRUPTCY FORMS:
  We'll tell you which bankruptcy forms you need and where to find them.

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Child Custody & Family Courts in  

• State Standards For Custody Decisions: How Courts make child custody decisions
• Family Court for Queens County: Queens County Family Court information, including maps, forms and links.
• Enforcement of Custody Orders: Can you enlist local police to help enforce a custody court order?
• Child Custody Lawyers: To help you handle your child custody matters.

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Obamacare

• Sign Up: We have the latest on how to sign up for Obamacare Insurance in !
• Is Health Insurance Mandatory in ? Learn about whether imposes tax penalties for not having health insurance.
• Special Enrollment Periods: How to enroll because of a "special enrollment period."
• Rates & Providers in Your County: Information and rates for providers for Queens County if you live in a state served by Healthcare.gov.

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Democracy In , Queens County,  

• Elected Representatives: Find out the websites and phone numbers of those representing you at the Federal, State, County, and City levels of government.
• How to Vote: Learn how to register and where and when to vote in Queens County, .
• Gerrymandering in : Has your state been gerrymandered? Find out how to end gerrymandering and have voters pick politicians, not vice versa.
• Tracking Issues: Organizations that track legislation you care about 

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Find a Lawyer in Queens County,

• Our Lawyers by Zipcode section allows users to find a local lawyer using the best online resources, including on topics we don't cover.
• DUI, Criminal Defense
• Auto Accidents & Personal Injury
• Immigration
• Legal Aid in :
  • Help RI Law 
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