Probate Lawyer Near Columbus, Ohio

If you have been told that you need a “Letter of Testamentary,” in order to obtain the letter you will need to go to court to get one. A Letter of Testamentary, or as we call it in Ohio, “Letters of Authority,” is a court order listing the name the individual who has been authorized by the court to deal with assets of an estate,. In order to obtain the Letter, you must apply to the court to open a probate proceeding. Our trusted probate litigation attorneys in Columbus, Worthington, Delaware, Lewis Center, Westerville, Dublin, Clintonville, Beechwold, Upper Arlington, Hilliard can help you.

In a typical scenario, the primary steps involved in non-probate estate administration include:

• Ascertaining with assets have beneficiaries named
• Provising a death certificate and information about the beneficiary to the holding institution
• Recording the death with the county recorder for real estate with a named beneficiary
• Recording the death with the county title agency for motor vehicles with a named beneficiary
• Implementing the terms of revocable and irrevocable trusts

Contact our skilled probate administration lawyers in Columbus, Worthington, Delaware, Lewis Center, Westerville, Dublin, Clintonville, Beechwold, Upper Arlington, Hilliard and nearby cities.

This is actually a very common scenario. Whenever an estate plan includes a trust, it will also typically include a will that covers guardianship of minor children, appointment of the decedent’s personal representative, and distribution of any non-trust assets. Administering an estate under these circumstances will involve both probate and non-probate procedures. Contact our skilled probate administration lawyers in Columbus, Worthington and nearby cities for more info.

A personal representative is the individual tasked with overseeing the probate and estate administration processes. The Personal Representative has certain “fiduciary” duties, and must perform those duties with due consideration for the interests of the decedent’s estate, as well as the estate’s beneficiaries. Executors, Administrators, and Trustees are all types of personal representatives.

While litigation is a possibility, it is possible that the parties will resolve their differences out of court. There are several common issues that can potentially lead to probate litigation:

• Allegations of undue influence on the person who made the Last Will and Testament
• Allegations of theft of estate assets
• Disagreements over interpretation of the terms of a will
• Disputes among beneficiaries and heirs
• Disputes regarding creditors’ claims
• Fiduciary claims against the personal representative or executor

Contact our probate litigation lawyers in Columbus, Worthington and nearby cities for free case review.

Before any assets can be distributed to beneficiaries and heirs, all valid creditors’ claims and all taxes must be satisfied. Once the decedent’s debts have been analyzed, appropriate notices have been sent, and any creditors have had the opportunity to secure payment, then the remaining assets in the estate can be distributed according to the decedent’s estate plan. In any event, probate and trust assets are generally not disbursed to heirs or beneficiaries until at least six months after the decedent’s death. Call our skilled probate lawyer in Columbus, Worthington and nearby cities for free case review.

If you are facing probate in Ohio due to the death of a loved one, Our Columbus probate lawyer can assist you remotely and handle the majority of the process on your behalf. We represent clients all over the state, and we will schedule appointments at times that are convenient for you. However, there may be circumstances in which you will need to appear personally in the probate court.