Probate & Probate Estate Administration
The terms “Probate” and “Probate Estate Administration” are often used synonymously. The formal process by which an Executor or Administrator is appointed by the Register of Wills or other named local county office to oversee the administration of an estate for a person who has died (a Decedent), is called Probate.
What is Probate Estate Administration?
The proper, timely and legal “closing” of an estate—the distribution of estate assets, the transfer and/or sale of the home or other real property, and the satisfaction of estate liabilities, taxes and other debts, is called Probate Estate Administration.
While on the surface this might seem like a simple matter, Probate Estate Administration can involve a number of complexities, transactions and other legal requirements. There are many serious and difficult considerations and decisions that have to be made by a family who has lost a loved one, all of which are taking place and occurring during a very stressful and emotional time.
What to Expect From a Probate Estate Administration Attorney
The Probate process is initiated by obtaining either Letters Testamentary (if there is a Will) or Letters of Administration (if the Decedent died without having made a Will).
This is the beginning of a process that often includes interconnected layers of complexity that require legal professionals who specialize in Probate Estate Administration—like the attorneys at American Wills & Estates.
Our Probate Estate Administration Services Include:
- The formal preparation and filing of all necessary petitions, tax returns, pleadings and other required legal documentation
- The identification, marshaling and determination of which assets of the Decedent are going to be subject to Probate
- The resolution of potential disputes and disagreements between the heirs and beneficiaries
- The timely transfer and distribution of the estate assets and other real property
Alleviate Probate Fears Through Understanding
We’re not going to mislead you—the Probate process can be involved, especially when there was no formal Estate Planning done by the Decedent during his or her lifetime. However, often times the our clients fears of their loved one’s estate assets being tied up “for years” or being “taxed to death after death” are often unfounded. Enlisting the services of a competent and experienced estate attorney can go a long way toward guiding your family smoothly through the probate process.
Free Consultation
Competent, compassionate and cost-effective guidance through the Probate Estate Administration process—that’s our unwavering promise at American Wills & Estates. Contact American Wills & Estates today for a free consultation at 412-381-7370 or by using our simple online inquiry form.
