Probate

Follow these steps to hire a probate attorney if you've been named the executor of a will and you need immediate help.

6 Steps To Hire A Probate Attorney

617-625-1600 is the hotline of the Somerville Police Department for non-emergency reports.

You can receive copies of incident reports in person by visiting the Somerville Police Records Bureau at 220 Washington St., Somerville, MA, 02143. Its hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The Records Bureau will take at most ten business days to comply with your request.

It is recommended to work with a Somerville attorney for a property appraisal. The financial circumstances for the rest of your life can be significantly impacted by the property value allocated to your loved one's real estate holdings at their death. With the correct legal assistance, this procedure will be simple, and you will learn the value of your new home.

Bank statements, brokerage accounts, insurance policies, pension or retirement plans, tax returns, and dividends are among the most crucial financial documents to find for a probate case in Somerville. Obtaining your loved one's financial information might be complex if they don't have trust or will. If you have admission to their logins, you can get a better notion without sifting through mountains of paperwork.

According to Chapters 191 and 192 of the general statutes of Massachusetts, any Somerville resident who is 18 years old or above and not mentally incapacitated may make a legally binding will. The testator must sign a will in writing, and at least two witnesses must attest to the testator's signature. In addition, the testator must be present while each witness signs the will.

There are two varieties of durable powers of attorney in Somerville. The first one is a "present" power of attorney, which gives your chosen attorney-in-fact the authority you have specified instantly. The second one is a "springing" power of attorney, which only takes effect when a doctor declares you to be medically handicapped.

The following duties of an executor can be assisted by a Somerville probate attorney:
<ul>
<li>Posting bond and obtaining court approval</li>
<li>Submitting the will to the relevant probate court</li>
<li>Identifying recipients</li>
<li>Selecting and assembling resources</li>
<li>Hiring valuation, ancestry, or other specialists</li>
<li>Paying claimants and creditors</li>
<li>Securing monies owed to the estate</li>
<li>Paying estate taxes</li>
<li>Transferring assets to beneficiaries</li>
</ul>

Probate attorneys are licensed professionals who represent executors and heirs after someone has died. They provide personalized legal advice, assist with tax planning, settle debts, and facilitate the distribution of assets. Probate attorneys typically represent clients during administrative proceedings overseen by probate courts, although some litigators focus on handling disputes and lawsuits related to contested estates.

Probate court works with the family or beneficiaries of a deceased person to validate their last will and testament. The courts review the individual's will to identify and calculate assets, pay off remaining debts, and distribute the remaining property to beneficiaries per the deceased person's requests. Depending on state laws, property valued under a certain amount may not require probate.

The amount of time loved ones have to file a will after a person dies varies from state to state. While California courts require probate to be filed within one year, New York has no deadline. That being said, it's advisable to file probate as quickly as possible once a person has died, as the process itself can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year.

Life insurance doesn't need to go through the probate courts if the deceased individual has named a beneficiary on their policy. However, life insurance policies without beneficiaries, or with beneficiaries who are either deceased themselves or cannot be contacted, go directly to the deceased individual's estate. When this happens, life insurance proceeds must go through probate court to determine how funds should be allocated.

While the exact rules do vary from state to state, most household items don't require probate and are automatically left to immediate families unless otherwise stated in the deceased person's will. When it comes to property, only items above a certain value or held in title are required to go through probate in most states.

In the event a beneficiary has been named, bank accounts are not required to go through probate and will be paid directly to the person designated by the deceased individual. However, should that individual be deceased themselves or if contact cannot be made after a certain period of time, funds will be allocated to the estate and put through the probate process.

Depending on the circumstances, probate may not be required in all cases. If a person passes on and their remaining property is jointly owned, it automatically transfers to the other owner. However, if a property is not jointly owned and no probate has been filed, the executor of the will won't be able to transfer titles or cash assets to beneficiaries. Be aware that the specific laws surrounding probate requirements vary from state to state.

Probate real estate is the process that happens when a realtor steps in to handle the sale or transfer of a deceased person's owned home to another individual. In some cases, the house is sold as a means of liquidating assets, and proceeds from the sale are used to pay debts or are distributed to beneficiaries.

It is possible to probate a will and close an estate without hiring an attorney. However, it requires multiple steps and an understanding of the law. The first step is to petition the court to appoint a representative for the estate. Next, the executor must notify all heirs and creditors before switching ownership from the decedent to the estate. Once all debts, taxes, and final expenses have been paid, funds can be transferred to heirs. To close an estate, the executor must submit a report showing the court that all obligations and final wishes have been satisfied. While a will and estate may seem straightforward, things can get complicated quickly if multiple heirs are involved, or if disputes or disagreements arise over distribution. A probate lawyer can help navigate these disputes effectively, and take pressure off the executor when beneficiaries aren’t getting along.

If the will or proposed distribution of property is contested, an estate may remain in probate for several years. The timeline depends on how long relatives have to initiate probate, how long creditors have to come forward, and how busy the courts are. In some states, such as Florida, relatives have just 10 days to initiate probate, and the entire process takes approximately six months. In other areas, such as Massachusetts, the process can last one to two years, although the majority of probate activities occur in the first nine months. The value of the estate also affects the duration of the case. For example, California and Texas have simplified procedures for smaller estates, such as those valued at $150,000 or less.

Probate is the legal process of validating a last will and testament to ensure that the decedent's wishes are followed. A probate judge may automatically clear wills if they're accompanied by an affidavit from the decedent, a notary, and a witness. Some assets, including financial accounts with designated beneficiaries, and funds held by certain types of trusts don't have to go through probate.

Real estate that's under probate is typically liquidated through the court system, which is most common when someone dies without a will. Home buyers who are interested in this type of property must follow special rules regarding deposits, which are sometimes nonrefundable, and buyer's premiums. Additionally, the court must approve the purchase price.