Attorneys For Probate And Estate Administration
When you have lost a loved one, the last thing you may want to do during the grieving process is dive headlong into the legal process. If you were named personal representative under a will, your loved one entrusted you with the high responsibility of wrapping up their financial affairs after they passed away. They trusted you with that responsibility because they knew, perhaps more than anyone else in their lives, that you were equal to the task.
The team of probate and estate administration attorneys at Slinde Nelson helps you fulfill that most sacred duty to your loved one in an orderly and efficient fashion — just as they would have wanted it. From offices in Portland, Oregon, we serve clients in both Washington and Oregon.
Will Or No Will?
If your loved one had a will, your role as the personal representative is to effectuate the intent of that will for the benefit of the beneficiaries. Sounds simple enough, right? Not always. We cannot guarantee it will be easy, but if there is a smooth process to winding up the estate, we will find it.
If your loved one died without a will, his assets pass according to the rather detailed Oregon laws on intestacy. We can help guide you through that process too.
The probate and estate administration process can be overwhelming at a time in your life when taking on that responsibility may be the last thing you want to do. The estate and probate attorneys at Slinde Nelson help simplify the process for you and make it easier to navigate efficiently. And, we do it with a focus on helping families stay united during this most trying time.
Probate Or No Probate?
Broadly speaking, probate is the legal process of transferring a decedent’s probate assets to beneficiaries or heirs pursuant to a will or statute. Not all estates require probate. Small estates can be effectively and efficiently administered and closed outside of the legal process. If your loved one had relatively few assets or assets that were held jointly with rights of survivorship with a surviving spouse, probate might not be necessary.
Larger estates require probate and the process can be extensive. Probate involves marshaling the assets of your deceased loved one, paying off creditors and distributing the remaining assets according to the terms of the will. The formal elements of the process include:
- Preparing and filing a petition with the proper court to admit the will to probate and appoint a personal representative of the estate
- Preparing and filing an inventory of the assets subject to probate
- Preparing and publishing notice to interested parties and creditors of the probate
- Paying/negotiating/disputing creditors’ claims (and taxes) against the estate
- Preparing and filing estate accountings
- Preparing and filing the approval to distribute the assets of the estate
There are any number of items that come up in the administration of estates, and our team of probate attorneys has the experience and the flexibility to react to what can be a fluid estate administration process.
Along with the technical know-how, we strive to understand the human elements of the probate administration process. We understand that fulfilling the wishes of the deceased is not the only goal in the process. Passing the financial torch from one generation to the next can go smoothly or it can tear a family apart. We strive to bring families together, not allow them to denigrate into preventable arguments, during some of the most trying times in their lives.
Not all estates go smoothly. We have all heard horror stories of families fighting over the remains of an estate. Sometimes, a family member will dispute the very validity of a will. It happens. When it does, you need an attorney involved who knows how to handle will contests.
What Are Your Beneficiary Rights?
The team of probate attorneys at Slinde Nelson has also assisted estate beneficiaries in understanding their rights under either Oregon statute (when the loved one died without a will) or under a properly proven will. Even if you’re not technically in a dispute with the other beneficiaries, having a clear understanding of your rights can be invaluable in avoiding such a conflict. Our estate attorneys can handle will contests or cases for breach of fiduciary duties and just about anything in between.
Contact An Experienced Estate Administration Lawyer Now
If you have lost a loved one and are in the process of beginning to sort out their financial affairs, you need an attorney with the experience to take as much of the burden off of your shoulders as possible. You need someone who gets not only the law but gets “it.”
Give us a call to learn how we can help you with your probate or estate administration matters. Call 503-567-1234 or contact us online today.