Choosing A Probate Lawyer To Handle An Estate

If someone in your family has recently passed away, it might be necessary for you to hire a probate lawyer, which is an attorney who specializes in finalizing the estate of a deceased individual. These attorneys typically work on the administrative duties involved in closing an estate, though some also specialize in representing a party who is involved in a dispute over the property of the deceased.

There are different ways to find an attorney including asking family or friends who they recommend, searching online for attorneys in the area, or doing a search of the phone book. Many attorneys offer a wealth of information online, and as such, reading through their links may be extremely beneficial.

Although it is necessary to get started on these matters quickly, it is very important to take the time to conduct a brief interview. In an interview your general questions will be answered, a timeline will be given, and any associated costs will be stated.

An interview allows the family to choose someone they feel comfortable with and helps ensure that things progress in an expedited manner. There are different things that can be learned about an attorney before they are hired by conducting this in-person interview as well as requesting references and checking their status with the state bar association.

Some of the general duties of a probate lawyer include filing all necessary paperwork with the court, making a complete list of the assets and property of the estate, listing out all the expenses included, and distributing all the remaining assets of the deceased to the proper heirs.

There may be times that an estate is disputed. Some reasons that a dispute can occur include an heir feeling that they did not receive the property or funds to which they were entitled, a will or trust is in place but has uncertain terms listed, or when there is no trust or will specifying how the assets should be divided amongst surviving heirs.

If the expense of hiring a probate lawyer is an issue, money can sometimes be saved by doing some of the work for the attorney. A family member can often take responsibility for preparing the list of the assets and liabilities, gathering up all life insurance information, and keeping track of all expenses paid out while closing the estate in order to save money.

Although this is probably a very stressful and sad time for those involved, it is important to hire a probate lawyer quickly as this will help take some of the pressure off the grieving and will also help to make sure that everything is settled quickly and correctly.