Probate
You have been named executor. Here is the short version.
Probate is the court process of paying what an estate owes and handing over what is left. Most of it is paperwork, and most of the paperwork has a deadline.
You do not have to do it alone, and you do not have to do it this week. Start by keeping the original will safe and the bills paid. We take it from there at whatever pace is kind to you.
What comes off your list
Filing the will and opening the estate
Notices to heirs and creditors
An inventory of what the estate owns
Paying valid debts and final bills
A final accounting for the court
Handing over what is left, and closing the file
Where it starts
Three ways an estate can go
There is a will
The court confirms it and appoints you. It is the smoothest road, and still takes months of notices and waiting periods.
There is no will
State law decides who inherits and who serves. We help the family agree on a person and file the paperwork.
The estate is small
Some estates can skip the full process with a short form. We will tell you if yours can, even when that means less work for us.
Executors ask
What to expect from probate
How long does probate take?
Anywhere from several months to a year or more. The window for creditors to make claims runs for months by itself, and a complicated estate takes longer.
What does probate cost?
We quote it after the first meeting, once we have seen the will and a rough list of assets: a flat fee for a straightforward estate, hourly with a cap when it is tangled. Court costs are separate.
Can I do probate without a lawyer?
Sometimes, for a small estate, and we will say so if you can. If you want help with only one piece, such as the inventory, we will do that for a quoted fee.