Probate A Will

In California a large percentage of wills must be probated, since this is not a simple process it may leave people who are already in a state of loss and grief, utterly overwhelmed trying to figure out how to accomplish this process. If you have to probate a will for a loved one, you should take the time to at least consult with a lawyer. While it is possible to do the probate yourself, especially if it is simple and straightforward, if the estate has debts at all or the will is contested you will most likely need to get a lawyer to help you with this process. A probate lawyer will start by deciding whether or not you need to probate a will, in some cases you may be able to avoid this process.

If your probate lawyer decides that probate will be necessary he will sit down with you had help to explain the process, there are many things that you can do to reduce your costs and facilitate the process to be sure to talk to your lawyer about this before you start the process. When getting ready to probate a will there are many different steps that must be executed during the months leading up to the hearing.

A Hearing can take 8 to 10 months to occur but there are plenty of things that must be done during that time. Several documents must be filed including the original will, you may be required to validate the will as well, depending on the circumstances. At some point an add must be posted in the newspaper so that creditors have an opportunity to respond to the probate as well. An executor must be appointed if there is not one already and he must petition for probate within 30 days. It is the lawyers job to make sure that each of the official documents that need to be filed with the court get filed as well as to serve as guidance to you on what steps you must take as executor or heir. When you are getting ready to probate a will the lawyer should take the time to explain many of these steps to you so that you will have an adequate understanding of what is expected from you and the estate. If you need to probate a will in most cases in California the recommendation is that you get a lawyer to help you get through the process, not only is it complex but if you fail to follow through it can cause even more complications than the process already has. It is easy for someone that is inexperienced at probate to misunderstand the laws and technical jargon and even easier for them to miss a document that needs to be filed. The Probate Guy can help you navigate this difficult process and will offer you the compassion and guidance you need at this difficult time.