Estate planning does not need to be expensive or time-consuming. All people should have a basic estate plan which includes the documents listed in this article.
A probate attorney (or probate lawyer) is a type of lawyer you specializes in probating a will. This type of attorney may also be called a family law attorney or an estate law or estate planning attorney, all of which will be able to assist family members of the deceased with the probating an of a will.
Accessing and transferring a bank account of a deceased loved one is an important task after the funeral or memorial service. A number of factors can make this process simple or complicated.
Probate is the legal process by which a last will and testament is proved to be valid, and the contents of the will are followed through by the person named in the will or appointed by the court (the executor or personal representative).
Upon the death of a loved one, a death certificate is required by law to legally certify end of life. Completing and filing a complete death certificate to your local or state Vital Records Office is an important step in handling the deceased’s affairs.
If you will be responsible for closing and settling your loved one’s accounts, you will need to have several copies of the death certificate on hand to provide to various institutions and agencies. Generally, you will need one certified copy of the death certificate for each major asset, such as cars, real estate, or bank accounts, for which you will need to transfer ownership, as well as for items such as life insurance policies, veterans’ survivor benefits, and annuities. You will be able to find all 50 states and D.C. vital records offices in this blog.