Probate
After a death, one step at a time
Settling an estate is mostly paperwork, patience and a few decisions. We take the paperwork and explain the decisions, so the family can grieve first.
Whether there is a will or not, a court usually has to approve who is in charge and how the estate is handed on. We guide the executor or administrator through each stage and keep the family informed. If the person died without a will, we explain who inherits and why.
We handle
Opening the estate in court
Listing what the person owned
Notices to creditors and heirs
Paying the debts and taxes owed
Estates with no will
The stages
Four stages, in the order they happen
Some estates close in months; others take longer, usually because of a debt, a missing document or a family disagreement. We tell you which kind yours looks like.
- 01
Step 1: Gather
The will if there is one, a death certificate, and a list of accounts, property and debts.
- 02
Step 2: Open
We file with the court and ask it to name the person who will carry out the will.
- 03
Step 3: Settle
Notices go out, debts and taxes are paid, and property is kept safe and insured.
- 04
Step 4: Hand over
What is left goes to the people named, deeds are recorded and the estate is closed.
What people ask in the first days
Does every estate go through probate?
No. Property that already has a named owner on the way, such as a house in a trust or an account with a named beneficiary, may pass outside of it. We look at what the person owned before telling you what is needed.
Do I have to pay my father’s debts myself?
Generally no. Debts are paid from the estate, in an order the law sets. Please don’t pay or promise anything before talking to us.
There was no will. What now?
The law decides who inherits, starting with a spouse and children. We help the family ask the court to name someone to manage the estate.
You don’t have to start with the paperwork
Call the office nearest you. We will tell you what to gather and what can wait.