HESS-VERDON – #1 CALIFORNIA Probate LAW FIRM

A Probate Lawyer Helps With a Speedy, Lawful and Fair Inheritance Distribution

After a person departs, assets are managed to comply with state laws and follow their wishes when they were alive as expressed in their will. (Learn more about what type of assets are subject to probate). A probate attorney guides the will executor or beneficiaries through the probate process, which revolves around identifying and distributing inheritance and assets.

State: California Trust Lawyers

Serving Cities Nearby: Fresno, Clovis, Sanger, Reedley, Selma, and surrounding cities.

Related Practice Areas:  Trusts, Trust Litigation, Trust Administration, Estate Planning, Probate Attorney, Probate Litigation, Charitable Remainder Trust

What does probate mean?

Probate is the whole process of administering a deceased person’s estate per their will or state recommendations. A probate lawyer is a state-authorized lawyer who works with the estate’s beneficiaries to settle the decedent’s affairs.

In some instances, the probate process can be foregone if all the decedent’s assets have been put in trust. A trust can ensure a smooth transfer of property outside the court and legitimate procedures.

A probate estate attorney can be involved in the process depending on the specific circumstances around the deceased’s estate. Their input will depend on the estate’s value and whether the departed person had a last will before they died.

In situations where there is no will, family members and beneficiaries record claims and legally pursue what they believe they are entitled to. In circumstances where there is a will, the lawyer sees the deceased’s wishes are respected and resolves difficulties that may emerge regarding the will’s legitimacy.

What does a probate attorney do?

If the deceased person had a will, a probate attorney helps advise the involved parties, including the will executors and the beneficiaries, on different legal matters. The lawyer can determine the will’s integrity by auditing to ascertain that it is duly signed and that it wasn’t composed under coercion. In the last parts of their lives, senior or ill persons might fall victim to undue pressure from persons that target to have a piece of their estate.

Estate litigators are probate attorneys who specialize in individual lawsuits regarding the deceased person’s estate. They serve beneficiaries who might be dissatisfied with the truthfulness of or the contents of the will.

What happens if there is no Will

If one dies without a will, the State’s intestate laws automatically kick in. The state determines the eventual distribution of the estate and assets regardless of the decedent’s wishes. In many states, the surviving spouse of the deceased person inherits the whole estate. However, intestate laws vary, and each case is treated differently.

A probate legal counselor can help the administrator of the estate to distribute the assets per the laws. The actions of the lawyer, in this case, are premised within the State’s intestacy laws.

This type of succession often gets confounding, like in circumstances of a pending divorce, legal separation, or adopted children. A probate lawyer helps clarify things and prove to the courts the spouses, partners and children, blood relatives that should be counted in the succession.

The probate attorney that serves Fresno County family’s then helps the family choose the estate administrator by securing “renunciations” from the decedent’s different relatives. A renunciation is a lawful articulation disavowing one’s entitlement to control the estate. The lawyer then helps the administrator through the probate process.

In general, here is a rundown of the standard regular assignments a probate attorney may help take care of during the probate cycle:

• Identifying assets and securing them
• Collecting proceeds from life insurance
• Obtaining valuations and appraisals for the assets
• Paying bills and settling debts
• Handling the paperwork needed by the probate court
• Resolving income or inheritance task issues
• Streamlining the decedent’s financial records

Transferring assets to beneficiaries per the will or intestacy laws.

Probate lawyers are indispensable in the whole probate process even though they are not legally required. Come to think of it, an everyday person might get confused in the probate process and the different applicable laws and functions involved. Plus, there are bills and taxes to pay to keep the decedent’s estate operational throughout the process. It can turn out to be very tedious.

A probate attorney helps to accomplish every function effectively. And they do things on time for a speedy conclusion of the probate process. They bring soberness, objectivity, and fairness in a process that could otherwise be marred and derailed by bad blood among beneficiaries.

Are you handling the distribution of an estate of someone who passed on with or without a will? We can simplify and expedite the entire probate process. Call us at 888-318-4430

What is Probate and How Can You Avoid It?

We understand the probate legal and administrative headaches you might face during such a difficult time. We also know it’s often difficult to find attorneys experienced in Trust and estates with proven litigation skills. So let’s go over a few crucial facts and best practices to ensure you get experienced legal counsel and avoid legal complications.

First of all, Probate is a court-supervised procedure that can take several months to several years, depending on multiple complex factors.

For an uncontested probate proceeding, it can be between 10 months to 18 months. For contested, i.e., probate litigation, it can take years.

Now, a Probate attorney can guide you through the judicial process. The decedent’s estate is valued, beneficiaries are determined, and executor in charge of the estate is declared.

Our probate litigators are well versed in helping mitigate loss, ensuring a cost-effective and smooth process.

See: California Probate Fees (chart)

Need immediate assistance, feel free to call us now at 888-318-4430.

In California, below are the top 4 reasons the court will oversee estate cases:

A Valid Will: The decedent’s valid Will, managed by the probate judge and the court of decedent’s jurisdiction.

1. The dependent passed intestate (without a Will)
2. A challenged Trust: The reviewing of the tested Trust as to the validity, capacity, fraud, or undue influence.
3. A Trust is unfunded, and property remains outside of the Trust’s intended protection from the probate process.

Moreover, the probate court will look to certify the executor designated in the decedent’s estate plan or may appoint another 3rd party administrator under certain circumstances.

Need a Second Opinion?

There are times when you need a second opinion from another attorney. We can confidentially evaluate what the problems and solutions are for your case. Our probate attorneys serving Fresno County will tell you the truth about what the source is of your delays, questions, or increased expense.

If you are currently in litigation, consider the following:

• Why is this taking so long?
• Is it your lawyer?
• Do you wish your attorney was more like your opposing counsel?
• Why does the probate process cost so much?
• When will this be over?
• When should you settle and for how much?

If you have questions that your attorney is not answering, or the litigation has taken unexpected twists and turns, you should seek a second opinion.

What is the cost of a second opinion?

Contact us today for an initial consultation.

To discuss your situation, to meet with us, or to get your questions answered, please call our office to schedule an appointment.