PROBATE
“Probate” generally refers to the court supervised process through which a decedent’s estate is inventoried, appraised, distributed, and accounted for. Because probate processes are public and tend to be lengthy and expensive, our clients want to avoid probate while keeping their affairs private.
When a person dies without a valid trust, their estate may require probate if the assets exceed $166,250. If a person loses mental capacity and lacks an estate plan, they may end up losing all power to make decisions through conservatorship proceeding. Probate may be avoided by effective estate planning.
Through a trust, assets can be quickly and efficiently distributed to your beneficiaries after you die without going through probate. If you lose capacity to manage your affairs, you can avoid a conservatorship process through proper estate planning involving a trust, durable power of attorney, and advanced healthcare directive. Estate planning saves you and your loved ones time, money, and stress.
Estate planning while you are able gives you control and peace-of-mind, knowing that your affairs are in order and that both you and your loved ones will be cared for and protected. Still, issues can arise that require court involvement, in which case we handle a range of issues through probate courts, including:
- Wills and Intestacy
- Trust Petitions
- Trustee & Beneficiary Disputes
- Accounting, Reporting and Information
- Breaches of Fiduciary Duties
- Elder Abuse
- Transfers of Property
- Titling Issues
- Estate Creditors
- Conservatorships & Guardianships
Contact our office to schedule an attorney consultation.