What is probate and estate administration?

 

Probate refers to the court process of validating a will so a personal representative or executor can implement the decedent’s wishes or to the oversight the court provides for an estate administrator who settles an intestate estate — one in which the decedent left no will.

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Most personal representatives are not familiar with the relevant laws, and some are even surprised to learn the decedent’s will named them as the responsible party. To complete the process of settling an estate, we may help personal representatives with the following tasks:

Benefits to having a gun trust:

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• Getting court approval as personal representative/estate administrator and posting bond

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• Filing the will with the appropriate probate court.

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• Locating beneficiaries.

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• Finding and assembling assets.

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• Transferring assets from the deceased to the estate

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• Hiring valuation, genealogy or other experts, when appropriate.

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• Paying creditors and claimants.

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• Collecting amounts owed to the estate

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• Paying current and delinquent taxes as well as estate taxes

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• Distributing property to beneficiaries

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Estate representatives can easily make mistakes due to inexperience, stress and hasty decisions. At Phoinix Law, we provide clients with reliable, detailed guidance.

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Even in seemingly straightforward probate and estate administration matters, disputes among beneficiaries or between beneficiaries and the personal representative/executor can arise. When these conflicts surface, you can rely on our counsel and professionalism in negotiations or in court.

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Distributing a decedent’s property cannot take place without a personal representative, executor or administrator managing and overseeing the process. When a person does not leave behind a will or establish another means of wealth transfer, the most willing and capable relative usually seeks court approval to act as the personal representative of the estate. We can help qualified individuals obtain the status of personal representative, estate executor or administrator. At Phoinix Law, our goal is for you to settle your loved one’s estate as efficiently, quickly and easily as possible.

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