When someone close to you dies without a will in place, then their assets go to probate court to determine who the beneficiaries are. Sometimes they did have a will, but circumstances changed or time passed that made some aspects of the will incomplete.
Here is how a probate lawyer can help.
3 Benefits to Hiring a Probate Lawyer
You can obtain a trusted lawyer to help the probate process go as smoothly as possible. Here’s what an experienced lawyer will assist you with:
1. Pay All Bills, Debts, and Taxes: When someone dies, their financials do not automatically become organized and up-to-date. A probate lawyer can pay all remaining bills, debts, and taxes that the person incurred during their lifetime to come up with a final standing of assets.
2. Get an Appraisal for Non-Cash Assets: A probate lawyer will get an appraisal to come up with an official value for the properties and business assets. This number will be used in probate court.
3. Transfer the Assets to Determined Beneficiaries and Closing Up the Case: Once the beneficiaries are made official and announced in probate court, the lawyer will tie up the case by transferring the assets into the beneficiaries’ possession. These logistics are valuable to those involved and will finish up the matter as quickly as possible.
If you have a family member whose assets are entering probate after death, be sure to hire a probate lawyer to work through the logistics with you. A probate lawyer is well-versed in how the process works and will be able to guide you, relieving you of unneeded amounts of stress and time.
When you work with a team like Miles & Hatcher, LLP, you will find that you can go through probate with the minimum amount of stress. The last thing you want to focus on after the death of a loved one is money. So let our team take care of the necessary steps in probate while you can concentrate on mourning with your family and friends. Give us a call to schedule a free consultation: (909) 481-4080.