Probate

Probate is the legal process for handling someone’s estate after they die. The process begins with someone requesting that the court appoint them as the personal representative (executor). The personal representative will also provide the court with proof of the deceased person’s death and a copy of their will or evidence that they did not have a will.

Next, the personal representative will be responsible for identifying and inventorying the deceased person’s property, determining the value of the property and keeping it safe, paying any taxes or debts, and distributing the remaining property to the deceased person’s heirs.

Probate involves filing documents with the court and sometimes appearing in court. A personal representative can choose to represent himself or herself through this process or he or she may hire an attorney to assist them. There is also a filing fee of $360.00 that must be paid to the court.

If you would like to know more about probate, give us a call.