Estate Administration and Probate

I can help you with your estate administration and probate matters. Probate of a will is a relatively straightforward process. Probate occurs whether or not a decedent had a will. If the deceased individual did not have a will, then the probate process will continue through intestate succession. For more information on intestate succession, click here.

Common Probate and Estate Administration Mistakes:

(1) The accounting and inventory are very important when opening an estate. However, some items should not be included in the decedent's estate and if you mistakenly include them in the inventory and accounting, the estate may end up paying taxes that otherwise should not have been paid.

(2) There is a misconception that Payable on Death ("POD") accounts need not be considered part of the gross estate. POD accounts must be accounted for when determining the gross estate for inheritance and estate tax purposes.

I can help you with the following estate administration and probate matters:

- Administering Living Trusts (also known as "Revocable Trusts")

- Administering Discretionary Trusts (also known as "Irrevocable Trusts")

- Contesting Wills

- Litigating an Estate

- Notifying the Decedent's Heirs and Creditors

- Performing an Accounting and Inventory of the Estate

- Probating Large Estates

- Probating Small Estates