Compassionate, Complete Probate Guidance
When you lose a loved one, the last thing you want to think about is divvying up assets, paying bills and dealing with a bunch of paperwork. This is a time for you to be with your family. An experienced, compassionate probate attorney can help carry the legal burdens for you so you can focus on what matters.
At Pearman Law Firm, P.C., our lead attorney has over 30 years of legal experience assisting clients throughout the Denver metro area. We believe in providing one-on-one guidance to our clients in an approachable way. Are you the personal representative for the estate? From the very beginning, an attorney will meet with you and go over all the assets to determine what you need to do to distribute real property and other personal property to the correct beneficiaries or heirs. If probate is needed, we will assist you with the case to get it through the court as efficiently as possible.
Sometimes, family members and other heirs disagree regarding the contents or the validity of the will. We know how much conflict these cases produce. We can assist you in challenging a will or defending against a will contest, hopefully negotiating a settlement so your family can move past this matter.
Not Every Case Must Go Through Formal Probate
After a loved one passes away, the tasks and responsibilities can seem overwhelming. Having an experienced attorney to walk with you through the estate administration and probate process can make all the difference.
Often, you need to take just a few simple steps, and you will not have to file a probate case. In Colorado, you may administer smaller estates that have no real estate through a simplified process.
We would be happy to review the estate you are handling to determine what type of probate you need or whether we can simply deal with it through an informal probate procedure via affidavits or a summary process.
What Is The Probate Process?
To paraphrase the definition offered by the American Bar Association, probate is a legal process by which the probate court acknowledges the validity of a will. As part of the process, the court will appoint or approve an executor or personal representative to handle all the necessary transactions and distribute property to the beneficiaries named in a will. If there is no will, the process is known as “intestate.” Property distributed without a will also goes through probate and is parceled out according to state law.
Will Your Estate Have To Go Through Probate?
Some of your assets will not need to go through probate at all. Life insurance proceeds are a good example. The named beneficiary or beneficiaries may make a claim when the time comes. Also, property that is held through joint tenancy may not require a probate process.
If, as part of your estate planning, you wish to help your loved ones avoid probate or resolve the probating of your will as efficiently as possible, talk with one of our attorneys about setting up one or more trusts.
We Are Here To Help
Whether you will be administering an estate through probate or establishing an estate plan with probate in mind, we understand the challenges that you face. We are ready to help lift the legal burdens of the probate process. We can also guide you through the steps of making a proper claim on a life insurance policy. Contact our Wheat Ridge office at 720-259-9528 for a free phone conference or send us an email inquiry.