Probate lawyers are often hired to help estate executors manage the probate process. They can also help clients with estate planning. Read on to find out what to expect when working with a Probate Lawyer in Bainbridge Island to learn more about the services he or she will provide.
Services for Estate Executors
When a loved one has drafted a will prior to death, the estate executor named in it will be responsible for ensuring that its execution goes smoothly. A lawyer can help in several ways.
First, the attorney can review the will to make sure that it wasn’t signed under duress. This is particularly useful when the decedent was struggling with dementia or another condition that may have made him or her vulnerable to undue influence.
Even if the decedent was obviously competent when the will was drafted and signed a probate lawyer can still offer a good deal of help with managing life insurance proceeds, property appraisals, finding and securing assets, and more. If the decedent had unsettled debts when he or she died a lawyer can offer advice as to how best to pay them off, as well.
Services for Estate Administrators
When someone dies without a will, he or she is referred to as having died “intestate.” Each state has different laws regarding how the decedents’ estate will be divided and the person responsible for ensuring appropriate distribution of assets is known as an administrator rather than an executor. A Probate Lawyer in Bainbridge Island can help a relative or loved one who wants to become the estate administrator go through the renunciation and probate processes.
Services for Estate Holders
The best way for a reader to ensure that his or her assets will be divided appropriately according to his or her wishes is to draft a will prior to becoming sick or incapacitated. A probate lawyer can assist with drafting this legal document and review it to make sure that it will be legally binding. Even one small mistake can lead to unnecessary challenges and complications, so it’s worth taking the time to look into estate planning and to review documents periodically to make sure all information is up to date.
