How Can a New Port Richey Probate Administration Lawyer Help You?
After a person passes away, their estate must often go through the probate process. During probate, the person’s will is validated, if there was one left behind. Any property belonging to the deceased is also distributed according to the provisions in the will or Florida’s intestacy laws.
Probate can take anywhere from a few months to a year or longer, depending on the complexity of the estate. There are many procedures, processes, and deadlines involved in the probate process and it can feel overwhelming for loved ones. Below are a few ways a New Port Richey probate administration lawyer can help.
What Do Probate Lawyers Do?
Probate lawyers help people through the probate process, and often, they also help people plan their estates. They also coordinate with the personal representative of the estate to manage it and ensure that the property within an estate is distributed to the beneficiaries appropriately.
Generally speaking, the property owned by a decedent is subject to the probate process, including bank accounts, vehicles, real estate, jewelry, and other types of personal property. Still, not all property is subject to probate. Non-probate property includes assets held in a trust, financial accounts with beneficiary designations, and property held in joint tenancy. Taking inventory of assets and administering an estate is complex. A New Port Richey probate administration lawyer can help you through it.
How a Probate Administration Lawyer in New Port Richey Can Help
It is difficult enough to go through the grieving process and try to move forward with your life. Add to this the fact that probate can be a lengthy and expensive process, and it makes this difficult time even more challenging. When working with an attorney, they will guide you through the process and remove much of the stress associated with proceedings. An attorney will have an understanding of the court system and state law ensures no errors are made that will cause unnecessary delays with the administration of the estate.
Your attorney can help determine who has an interest in the estate, whether it is according to the intestacy laws in Florida or according to a will. A lawyer can also help ensure that property is appropriately distributed to beneficiaries of the estate. A lawyer can also help the personal representative with the following tasks:
- Confirm the taxes the estate owes and ensure they are paid
- Identify the property within an estate and create an inventory
- Create and manage the bank account for the estate
- Pay creditors that make a claim against the estate and other final bills
- Order appropriate appraisals for certain types of property such as real estate, jewelry, and art collections
- Distribute property to the beneficiaries and ensure property is retitled
Call Our Probate Administration Lawyer in New Port Richey Today
Losing a loved one is never easy and the probate process afterwards is also complicated. At Messina Law Group, P.A., our New Port Richey probate administration lawyer can help make this challenging time easier for you and your family. Call us now at (813) 492-7798 or contact us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how we can help.
Source:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0733/0733ContentsIndex.html
