Probate
Probate help for executors
If a parent has died and you were named executor, or the court needs someone to step in, you have a job you didn't train for. We handle the court filings and tell you plainly which tasks are yours.
The usual order of an estate
Every estate differs, and some need no court case at all. When one does, it tends to run like this.
- 01
Step 1: Find the will and the assets
We gather the original will, the deed, the accounts and the bills, and check what passes outside probate.
- 02
Step 2: Open the estate
We file to have you appointed, so banks and the county will deal with you.
- 03
Step 3: Notify and inventory
Creditors and heirs get notice, and we list what the estate owns and what it owes.
- 04
Step 4: Pay, sell, distribute
Final bills and taxes are paid, the house is sold or transferred, and the rest goes where the will says.
- 05
Step 5: Close the estate
We file the final accounting and ask the court to release you as executor.
What executors ask first
Do I have to go to court?
Often not in person. Many estates are handled through filings, and when a hearing is needed we go with you or for you.
Am I personally responsible for my parent's debts?
Generally no. Debts are paid from the estate, not from the executor's own pocket, but there's an order for paying them, and we make sure it's followed.
How long does it take?
Most of the waiting is set by law: notice periods for creditors and the time it takes to sell a house. We give you a timeline at the start and keep it current.
Named as executor?
Call before you sell, pay or give away anything. A short conversation can save a long fix.