When a person dies without an estate plan, or even if the decedent had a Last Will and Testament, the estate must go through a process known as Probate before any assets can be distributed. The California Probate process is often frustrating, time-consuming and needlessly expensive. In addition, it is open to the public.
Many people have heard of probate but wonder what the process involves. Every situation is different, but a “typical” probate involves:
- Filing a petition with the probate court
- Notice to heirs named in the Will or, if there is no Will, to statutory heirs
- Petition to appoint an Executor (if there is a Will) or an Administrator
- Inventory and appraisal of all estate assets
- Payment of estate debt to creditors
- Sale of estate assets
- Payment of estate taxes
- Final distribution of assets to heirs
As you can imagine, completing all of these tasks is difficult enough without the added stress of losing a loved one. Martin will guide you through the process from start to finish. We serve clients in Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and throughout Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.
