Estate Administration Services
The administration of estates can be very complex, so it’s important to contact The Law Offices of Joseph A. Marra to handle the details and serve your family’s best interests. Estate Administration refers to how the Will is distributed. For large estates, the only legal way to transfer assets is through the probate process. That said, Wills control only probate assets. However, there are other assets they do not have to be probated, which include life insurance proceeds, property held in living trusts, and property held in joint tenancy.
Estate administration services involving:
Executor of the Estate
A will appoints a personal representative to perform the wishes of the person who created the will, or the testator. The executor consolidates and manages the assets, collects any debts owed to the testator upon death, sells any necessary property to pay estate taxes or expense. They also file all necessary court and tax documents for the estate.
Will Validity
In order for a Will to be considered valid, it has to meet a formal requirements. If not, it will be subject to the probate process. The testator must be of sound mind and understand the full meaning of the document, signed by the testator or the testator must direct another person to sign the document, signature must be made the presence of a witness and must be notarized. Our team can help ensure the Will is valid to you can avoid unnecessary probate.
Probate
Our team can assist executors and administrators collect and manage the assets of the deceased as well as helps determine the validity of claims made against the decedent’s estate. Probate, (or if there is no will administration), involves gathering assets in the decedent's name alone, paying the decedent's debts, and then distributing the remaining assets to those outlined in the Will, (or if there is no will, pursuant to State law).
We also provide legal representation in the areas of personal injury, elder law, divorce, among many others. We look forward to seeing how we can help you.