Are you wondering what a probate attorney does? Then you are in the right place since we will clarify that.
A probate attorney is a licensed lawyer who can help you start and manage an estate plan, offer guidance in probate court, establish conservatorships and make legal decisions regarding end-of-decisions.
If you have lost your loved one, the last thing you may think about is dealing with court systems and tedious procedures. You need to hire an attorney to help you with the probate process. In this article, we will discuss how a California probate attorneys will help you.
Table of Contents
How will the Probate Attorney Help You?
1) Assessing and selling of estate property
When establishing a will or estate plan, the creator appoints an executor to help in carrying out the last wishes. An executor protects real and personal property, pays creditors and taxes from estate proceeds, and distributes assets to beneficiaries.
You can hire a probate lawyer to make the process simple by following all the necessary laws.
2) Counsel you through the probate process
You need an estate probate attorney to help you settle the deceased’s estate through the probate court process. You need to have a lawyer review your loved one’s estate documents through the court probate process.
3) Distribute assets to beneficiaries
Before distributing the assets to beneficiaries, there is a specific process to follow, even if stated in the will. The probate process takes between 1-2 years to complete the whole process.
4) Paying estate taxes
It is required for the estate executor to pay all the state taxes before distributing the assets to the beneficiaries. With the help of a probate lawyer, he/she will help you determine how much the state owes you and how to pay the taxes.
5) Providing notifications to creditors of the decedent’s death
The lawyer must communicate and provide notification of the decedent’s death to creditors and banks. He/she should pay the claims from the estate. You need a probate attorney to help you pay for legit claims since some schemes may trick you into paying phone debts. Additionally, some debts fall outside the statute of limitations.
How to Hire a Probate Attorney
Here are some of the things you need to consider when hiring a probate lawyer to ensure you meet all your needs.
Free consultation: you need to find a lawyer who offers a free consultation as you have the chance to ask the questions that will help you determine whether to keep him or not.
Charges: sometimes, attorneys tend to take you round and round instead of being upfront and honest about the fees.
Experience: you can inquire from the probate lawyer to find out if he/she has experience in a specific field and if he/she has handled such a case before. Experience makes you trust the lawyer.
Reputation: you can read their reviews online to check what people are saying about their services. However, be careful since some reviews aren’t an accurate picture of the services offered. You can opt to ask for referrals from friends and family members of a probate attorney they have worked with before.
Winding-up
By now, you know that you need a probate lawyer to help you in the process of distributing your assets to the beneficiaries after the death of a loved one. You can hire California probate attorneys to help you with your probate needs.
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