Being named as the personal representative of an estate is a position that comes with heavy responsibilities. Another person has entrusted you with the task of administering their estate upon their death. Once the death occurs, your mission begins. If that individual had lots of assets and beneficiaries you could find that you feel completely overwhelmed. There are so many tasks to handle and you need to know where to start. Working with a probate law service can help lighten your load and give you the courage and information necessary to handle your job the right way.
Probate Laws Vary By State
The probate laws that hold true in your state could be totally different when you cross state lines. There are certain time periods that must be adhered to, and if you fail to distribute assets before the deadline, it could mean that one or more beneficiaries are no longer eligible to receive an item or sum of money that they were initially entitled to.
Because you may not have a strong background in estate law, you could be totally in the dark about the rules and regulations in different states. Having a probate lawyer really helps in these cases because their job is to do the research to find out which rules apply in the states where assets are being held. They'll go to work by helping you adhere to these laws so you're able to fulfill your duties correctly.
Probate Attorneys Help You Find Missing Assets
When you were initially named as the personal representative of the deceased person's estate, they could have listed certain assets that they wanted to be divided up. However, there is a strong possibility that more assets were obtained between the time the document was initially written and when the death occurred. You need to find these assets so they can also be distributed, but without the proper resources, you could find yourself running into dead ends.
Probate attorneys often work with skip tracers and investigators who will keep digging to uncover missing assets. These items can then be given to worthy beneficiaries instead of being either lost forever or absorbed by the state.
A probate attorney is an excellent source of information who can really help you get through a complex and often difficult time. Find an experienced probate attorney in your region who will work closely with you to make sure that everyone receives exactly what they deserve.
