Estate and Trust Administration
Estate Administration
Administration of an estate consists of taking charge of the decedent's affairs, which typically include gathering information about the decedent's property, paying the decedent's bills, filing tax returns and paying income, inheritance and/or estate taxes, and distributing the remaining estate to the heirs or beneficiaries.
Our firm will carefully guide you through the many steps of the probate process which is the beginning of the estate administration process. We will assist you in securing all the necessary documentation you need to manage the decedent's assets as set out by a Will, or if there is no Will, we can assist you in naming a loved one to be the personal representative of the deceased person's estate. We help families and executors make sense of the probate process and can assist in expediting the finalization of estates in a cost-effective manner.
Oftentimes disputes may arise between the personal representative and the beneficiaries. These disputes may result from a lack of communication or from a perceived lack of transparency in the estate administration process. The attorneys at The Roth Law can help to resolve these disputes informally, and when necessary, they can represent a beneficiary or personal representative in court.
Trust Administration
Trust administration is the process whereby assets and cash which were funded into a revocable or irrevocable trust during the decedent's lifetime, are gathered and made ready for distribution to the beneficiaries named in the trust.
Trust administration begins with the trustee agreeing to serve as a fiduciary under the law and pursuant to the terms laid out in the trust agreement. This can often be complicated, and many times requires legal advice to properly carry out the terms of the trust, tax filings, notice requirements and meeting the needs of the trust beneficiaries in accordance with the law. The attorneys at The Roth Law Firm have vast experience assisting trustees in administering the trust and can help guide the trustee in making prudent and legal decisions.