Even if your loved one created a comprehensive estate plan detailing their wishes for passing on assets, there are still legal details you must attend to after they pass away. We can assist you with the legal matters related to finalizing an estate.
After a loved one passes away, their estate must be administered and finalized. The process involves gathering their assets, paying any outstanding debts, and distributing the remaining assets to their beneficiaries or heirs. These steps can vary depending on what estate planning tools your loved one used.
For example, if the deceased had prepared a Revocable Living Trust and you are named Trustee, you have duties that are partly defined by the Trust, and partly by state law. Trusts do not manage themselves. Despite the promise of saving probate, much of the same work is required of a Trustee as would be of a Personal Representative under a Will. There are notices to be prepared, assets to be inventoried, debts to be dealt with, and items to be sold. The law places a substantial legal duty on a Trustee, which you must be very careful to fulfill in accordance with law.
Probate functions similarly to the Trust administration process, except with judicial oversight. Under Washington’s and Idaho's probate laws, probate may not be necessary, and alternative, simpler processes may be available. In most cases involving real property, however, probate will be required.
For more than 25 years, we have helped family members administer the estates of loved ones in accordance with their wishes and the law. We can assist with various probate and Trust administration matters, including:
* Counseling for Personal Representatives of estates
* Collecting and valuing assets
* Paying debts and creditors
* TEDRA litigation
* Distributing assets to beneficiaries
We recognize how overwhelming and profound grief can be after the loss of a loved one. Let us attend to the legal matters involved in settling your loved one’s estate. Arrange your consultation by calling 253.858.5434.