Trust and Estate Administration

The attorneys and legal assistants in our Trust and Estate Group have extensive experience in post-death administration, whether through the probate court or private trust administration.

When a decedent leaves a will, the transfer of assets and the management of the estate will be subject to the court supervised probate process in the county where the defendant resided. If the estate plan includes a lifetime trust, the transfer of property is administered by the trustee appointed in the trust document, often with the assistance of an attorney. This process is private, efficient and can involve less cost than probate. No matter which process is required, the heirs face the difficult tasks of locating and organizing important information and papers, working with creditors and financial institutions, managing family and personal relationships, determining estate, gift and income tax obligations and, most importantly, insuring that the decedent’s intent is carried out. Our attorneys and legal assistants are very skilled in assisting the decedent’s representative in all of these areas and managing the successful administration of the estate.