Probate & Trust Administration
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Our probate lawyers can help people organize their affairs and establish an efficient plan for the disposition of their assets. When death occurs, our experienced staff of probate and trust administration specialists stands ready to carry out the deceased person’s wishes, which may have been expressed through a will, a revocable trust, beneficiary designations, or a combination of approaches.
Through active participation in state and national associations, our lawyers and paralegals bring a wide variety of skills to the tasks of settling estates and administering trusts, including in-depth knowledge of the probate process, state and federal tax laws, real estate law, trust law, and estate and trust litigation.
We understand that the attorney-client relationship is seldom as personal as when a family places its faith and trust in our ability to assist them after a loved one has died. Depending on a family’s particular circumstances, our attentive staff of lawyers and paralegals is able to provide a wide range of services, including:
- Identification and valuation of assets.
- Preparation of an inventory of assets and a formal accounting.
- Identification and notification of heirs and creditors.
- Assessment of the validity of claims against the estate or trust.
- Publication of all required notices.
- Management and investment of assets.
- Sale of assets.
- Payment of debts and expenses of administration.
- Payment of valid claims of creditors.
- Filing and payment of federal and state income, estate and gift tax returns.
- Representation of estate or trust in disputes with taxing authorities.
- Distribution of assets to beneficiaries.
- Closure of probate or trust administration.
The probate process is complicated, therefore we’ve created an infographic to explain the Three Phases of Informal Probate.
Founded in 1920, Ruder Ware provides business, employment, estate planning, and litigation services. A full-service law firm, over 45 attorneys provide clients with a one-stop approach to their legal needs. Ruder Ware, Business Attorneys for Business Success.
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