Probate Lawyers in
Bath, OH

The Probate Process

Probate relates to the legal procedure of administering a person’s estate after their passing. It involves collecting and valuing their assets, paying outstanding debts, and distributing the remaining assets to their heirs and beneficiaries.

If the deceased had a Will, the courts would use it to determine how the assets will be distributed among the beneficiaries. However, it will first need to validate the Will.

After deeming the Will valid, the courts will appoint an estate representative to manage the process. Sometimes, the deceased will have named an executor who will be responsible for managing their affairs.

The representative or executor will:

• Gather and determine the value of the estate
• Notify the heirs and creditors
• Clear funeral costs and other estate-related taxes and debts
• Settle any disputes
• Distribute the remaining assets

If the deceased did not have a Will, the courts will appoint a legal representative to determine the estate’s value and how it should be distributed according to probate law.

Why You Need a Probate Lawyer

Going through the entire probate process on your own while coming to terms with losing a loved one can quickly become overwhelming. This is where Champion & Company, LPA, law office comes in.

We can provide you with probate lawyers in Bath, ME, who can give you the legal guidance you need to navigate this complex process. Let’s review some of the ways we can make the process easier.

Prepare and File Probate Court Documents

Probate courts require a lot of information to settle an estate. Some of this information includes:

• A listing of all the assets and their values
• A list of beneficiaries
• The debts the estate owed and to whom they are owed

On top of this, each document that the probate court requires often comes with a deadline. Should you miss one of these deadlines, the court could delay this process even further.

Fortunately, you will not have to worry about this when working with our probate attorneys. We make sure to know all the documents the courts will need, preparing and filing them long before the deadline.

Find and Secure All Assets

When the deceased has multiple bank accounts, numerous investments, and real estate in different parts of the country or world, finding all their assets can be a daunting task. Fortunately, our estate planning and probate lawyers can assist in helping the administrator or executor find all the assets linked to the deceased’s estate.

If the deceased did not leave behind a Will, several individuals might lay claim to specific assets. This issue makes it even more essential to find and secure all the assets to ensure their correct distribution.

Gain an Appraisal of the Deceased’s Property

The probate court will need you to conduct an appraisal on the deceased’s property. This goes a long way in ensuring that the assets are correctly distributed to all beneficiaries. The appraisal also helps when it comes to determining how much taxes the estate owes.

Our attorneys can help you with this step, ensuring an accurate determination of the deceased’s estate’s value.

Settle Debts and Pay Bills

When a person passes away, it is not uncommon for them to leave behind unpaid bills, such as medical bills or mortgages. They might have also left behind unsettled debts.

While, in most cases, the estate’s proceeds will clear these debts and bills, it might take some time before the property is settled. In such cases, you will need someone to work out an arrangement with the creditors.

Our attorneys can negotiate payment arrangements with the creditors, giving you the time you need to settle the estate and access the necessary funds to pay off the debts and bills.

Get The Legal Help You Need

With our probate lawyers able to handle this and more, we can offer you the services you need to streamline a complicated legal process. 
Get in touch with Champion & Company, LPA, in Bath, ME, at (330) 865-7722 to learn more.

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