Estate and Trust Administration...
Sometimes it is necessary to do the work of an Executor of an estate. We can help you settle an estate by resolving claims and distributing property, even if the person died without a will.
We can either manage and settle the estate or help the executor/administrator through the process. Settling the estate takes about a year.
In this process we oversee:
- The collection of important documents and assets.
- The filing of appropriate documents with the court, such as petitions, returns of notice, inventory statements, and accounts.
- The payment of debts and expenses.
- The preparation and filing of estate and fiduciary tax returns.
- The distribution of the estate.
What is Probate? What is Intestate?
Probate is the process of legally establishing the validity of a will. Probate certifies the authenticity of the will and confers on the executors of the will the power to administer the estate. If someone dies without a will, that person is deemed to have died "intestate," and the estate will be distributed according to the laws of Massachusetts, or the state of residence.
Someone must then apply to administer the estate, and the court will usually grant "letters of administration" (like a probate order) to the person who will receive the most under the law.The person appointed as administrator may have to post a bond in order to insure that the estate is administered according to law.