Are you the trustee of an estate plan and have no idea in regards to moving forward with putting it into process? Rather than stressing yourself about the situation, hire a probate attorney that can assist you with every aspect of the estate plan. He or she will be there to assist with everything from filing income taxes to going to court in the event that the estate plan is contested. There is a lot involved with the process of settling an estate plan, but an attorney will make everything less stressful. This article provides a brief explanation of some of the probate services that an attorney can provide.
Assist with Handling Final Debts
When a loved one passes away, there are sometimes still debts that are in need of being paid. As the trustee over his or her estate, you are responsible for ensuring that all of the debts are paid off. A probate attorney will help you gather up the past due bills and pay them off in the least stressful way possible. For example, you might be advised to sell some of the assets that are a part of the estate for settling debts. However, if there is money accessible in a bank account, it can be used for paying off debts.
Locate All Assets That Are Included in the Estate
If you are the trustee of an estate that includes assets that are scattered throughout numerous places, it can be complicated to sort out. For instance, it is possible that your deceased loved one has property and bank accounts in different countries. The first thing that you must do is locate all of the assets, which will be easier to do with help from a probate attorney. Trying to locate the assets on your own can end up being a timely task. The attorney can run an investigation to locate everything that is included in the estate plan.
Distribute Everything to Beneficiaries
The main thing that you must do as a trustee is to distribute assets to beneficiaries. The task might involve having to sell your deceased loved one's house and other assets. An attorney will guide you on selling the assets in the most professional way possible. For example, you might be advised to host an estate sell. He or she can then draft up legal documents of all of the money that is made from the estate sell, which can come in handy if a beneficiary contests anything.