What if there is no will?
Whether or not you have a validly executed Will, your estate will go through Probate to the extent that you die owning assets in your name. “Probate” is the legal process through which a deceased person’s affairs are formally settled.
First, an attorney must be retained to open up an estate w/ the court. A person is then appointed to administer the estate, who is often called a Personal Representative or Executor. The Personal Representative works with the attorney and is responsible for overseeing the entire process, beginning with locating a validly executed will. The Personal Representative must then identify and gather all the deceased person’s assets, file an inventory with the court and notify the deceased’s creditors of the pending estate. It’s a lot of work. Next, assets are then pooled together and used to satisfy creditors’ claims.
Finally, the balance of assets are ultimately distributed to the proper beneficiaries, who – as you now know from the crash course on wills – are determined by the will or may be decided for you by the state in which you reside. If you cannot find a will, if a will is invalid, destroyed, or for any other reason that a valid will is not accepted by the court, the estate will proceed as if the deceased died without one. This is called intestate, and it invokes state law to fill in the gaps for you.
“Planning with Purpose,” Haimo Law (HaimoLaw.com) can help you plan for and protect your family and your business’s interests for the immediate and long-term future. Together, we can take advantage of incredible tools and techniques that are available to you right now. Call us for wills, trusts, probate, asset protection and business planning. Haimo Law offers premium professional representation at an affordable price. Alternative fee arrangements are available upon request. We are reliable, approachable, honest, hard-working and attentive. Helping your family and business is our priority. We look forward to meeting and exceeding your expectations.
Author:
Barry E. Haimo, Esq.
Haimo Law
Strategic Planning With Purpose
Email: barry@haimolaw.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/bhaimo
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+BarryEHaimoLaw/posts
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/haimolawtv
YOU ARE NOT OUR CLIENT UNLESS WE EXECUTE A WRITTEN AGREEMENT TO THAT EFFECT. MOREOVER, THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. EACH SITUATION IS HIGHLY FACT SPECIFIC AND EXCEPTIONS OFTEN EXIST TO GENERAL RULES. DO NOT RELY ON THIS INFORMATION, AS A CONSULTATION TO UNDERSTAND THE FACTS AND THE CLIENT’S NEEDS AND GOALS IS NECESSARY. ULTIMATELY WE MUST BE RETAINED TO PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION. THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS A COURTESY AND, ACCORDINGLY, DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE.