When a loved one passes away, the survivors are faced with grieving that loss. One of those survivors must also address the practical and legal consequences of the individual’s death. If you recently lost a loved one, and the decedent appointed you to be the Executor of the estate in his/her Last Wil and Testament, it is up to you to administer the estate. You may be wondering if you can avoid probate since the decedent left behind a Will. As you will learn, however, avoiding probate is not … [Read more...]
What Are the Rules of Intestacy in North Dakota?
One of the primary reasons why every adult should have at least a basic estate plan in place is to avoid leaving behind an intestate estate in the event of death. Even executing just a simple Last Will and Testament prevents the State from determining how your assets are distributed after you are gone. To better understand why you do not want to leave behind an intestate estate it helps to have a clear understating of the North Dakota rules of intestacy. Your Probate Estate The first thing you … [Read more...]
Probate Checklist for the First Time Executor
Typically, when a loved one passes away you are able to work through the grief you experience on your own timetable. Even that small luxury is taken away if it turns out that the decedent named you to be the Executor of the estate in his/her Last Will and Testament. That appointment means that your loved one had the utmost faith and trust in your ability to efficiently and effectively. To help get you started, the Grand Forks probate lawyers at German Law Group offer a probate checklist for … [Read more...]
Common Probate Mistakes
When a loved one dies, the period of time following that loss can seem as though it passes in a fog for the survivors. There are a seemingly endless number of practical and legal steps that must be taken during the probate of the decedent’s estate. Given the heightened emotional state that loved ones are in, mistakes are often made during the probate process. If you find yourself in charge of probating the estate of a loved one, you undoubtedly wish to avoid making any of those mistakes. To help … [Read more...]
Can You Reject an Inheritance?
When a family member or close loved one passes away, most people start wondering (out loud or to themselves) what they will inherit from the decedent’s estate. Likewise, when there is controversy or conflict over an estate, it is most often the result of two or more heirs disagreeing over the inheritance to which they feel they are entitled. Believe it or not, however, beneficiaries don’t always want the inheritance left to them by a decedent or to which they are entitled under the state’s … [Read more...]
Do I Need a Probate Attorney to Help Me Probate an Estate?
Did you recently lose someone close to you? Were you also notified that the decedent appointed you to be the Executor of the estate? If so, and you have never before served as an Executor, you probably have a number of questions and concerns about carrying out your duties and responsibilities as Executor. One of the first, and most important, questions on your mind is whether or not you need a probate attorney to help you probate the estate. Probate Basics Probate is the legal process that is … [Read more...]
Probate Lawyer Offers Tips for the Executor
If you recently lost a family member or close loved one, you are undoubtedly going through a period of grieving and heightened emotions. If you also learned that you were named as the Executor of the estate, you may feel a tremendous amount of pressure along with confusion if you have never served as an Executor. The best thing you can do for yourself at this point is to consult with an experienced probate lawyer before you do anything else. To help you in your role as Executor, however, a … [Read more...]
Tips for Getting through the Probate Process
The time period following the loss of a loved one is typically an emotional, and often stressful, one. If you also learned that the decedent appointed you as the Executor of his /her estate, the stress level will likely increase for you, particularly if you have never been through the probate process before as the Executor. With that in mind, a Grand Forks probate attorney offers the following tips that may help you navigate the probate process efficiently, and with a minimum amount of … [Read more...]
Will I Have to Go to Probate Court If I Am the Executor?
The loss of a close friend or family member is typically followed by a period of highly personal emotions. If you recently suffered the loss of someone close to you, and also found out you were named as the Executor of the estate in the decedent’s Last Will and Testament, your personal emotions may need to take second seat while you oversee the probate of the estate. Understandably, this can be difficult, particularly if you have never before served as an Executor. To begin with, you may have a … [Read more...]
What Happens If I Die Intestate?
You have undoubtedly heard from well-meaning friends and family members how important it is to have at least a basic estate plan in place. For most people, this means executing a Last Will and Testament. If you don’t know why it is so important, however, you probably won’t be inclined to get started on your plan. Although there are several reasons why having an estate plan in place is important, the simplest to explain is the desire to avoid dying intestate. Once again though, unless you … [Read more...]
