Estate planning Vancouver WA advice can help families with distributing a deceased loved one’s property. You can start by contacting a lawyer about setting up a living trust. This trust helps you to save money because it can keep you out of court. Read on to find out how to avoid probate court and fees.
What You Should Expect To Pay
Families can run into problems when a will is not left behind. It helps to understand what you have to pay in this situation. Probate fees are a combination of court, the executor and attorney fees. The executor and lawyer are providing you with a service. However, your executor can choose to waive his or her fee. If you want to obtain property using the court system, then you are responsible for all fees associated with the case.
Prepare For Slow Court Proceedings
Filing a case in probate court involves a lot clerical work. Legal representation is a big help for this stage. Your lawyer will fill out several documents, keep track of filing deadlines and do procedural technicalities. This process can take up to several months before obtaining access to the property of the decedent. At the same time, you are still responsible for funeral expenses, utilities, taxes and any other expenses.
Available To The Public
When the court system handles a case, it becomes public record. This means that the public can see the documents and information used in the case. This information may include debts, assets and the process for the distribution of the estate. For example, if you obtain the house, then anyone could access the record to get this information. A public record of your case can cause you to be the target of scammers.
Most people do not want to talk about what happens after their death. However, you need to have a conversation with family about the distribution of your property. Establishing a living trust make sure that beneficiaries receive assets while paying the least amount of expenses. It helps families to avoid probate court.