You need to get letters of administration, which officially make you the personal representative of your father's estate, and you can do that by going to the office of the Surrogate, at or near the county courthouse; you will need to bring a certified copy of your father's death certificate.
You are probably going to have to split the estate with your adopted sister; because he left no will, your father's estate has to be divided up according to law. You need to hire an attorney to help you take care of the estate properly, and one place to find a lawyer is our website, http://attorneypages.com

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