If you are the executor of an estate, the assistance of an experienced probate or estate administration lawyer can be invaluable.

The probate process begins when the will and an application requesting that the will be admitted to probate are filed with the probate court. The probate court will then hold a hearing, where evidence is admitted to prove that the will is valid. At that point, if the executor is qualified, he or she is appointed. The executor is then responsible for providing formal notice to creditors and certain beneficiaries that the decedent has died, that the will has been admitted to probate, and that the executor has been appointed. The executor is also responsible for preparing an Inventory of the estate assets and, in certain circumstances, filing that Inventory with the court. Other duties of the executor may include preparing tax returns for the decedent and for the estate; collecting, securing and, if necessary, insuring estate assets against loss; payment or settlement of legitimate creditors’ claims; selling estate property, when necessary; and, ultimately, distributing the remaining property to the beneficiaries named in the will. Depending on the nature of the particular estate, the executor may have additional responsibilities.

We have years of experience assisting executors in carrying out their legal duties. Let us put that experience to work for you.