Estate Administration
Individuals often focus on avoiding court or what used to be known as “Probate” at almost all costs. However, that process may be useful for the purposes of financing a trust, creating protections for beneficiaries, safeguarding assets from creditors prior to death or preserving family relationships and dynamics. Further the time and money expended to avoid the court process can result in additional costs or administrative issues where it would have instead been preferable to use the system as designed.
Estate Administration includes:
- Acting as an Attorney – when you are named in a Power of Attorney for someone who is unable to make decisions for themselves or has become incapable;
- Applications for Guardianship – when someone does not have a Power of Attorney and is losing capacity or has become incapable;
- Passing of Accounts – when you need the court to approve your work as either an Attorney or as an Estate Trustee (Executor); and
- Acting as an Estate Trustee (Executor):
- Intestate – when someone dies without a Will;
- Testate – when someone dies with a Will;
- Family Law Act Elections – when you make a claim against the Estate of your spouse outside their Will.
Estate Administration is technical, slow and at times frustrating.
Even a simple Estate with few assets will take significant time to properly manage, distribute and may be hampered by unknown rules and obligations. At W&P Law, we take some of that management burden from our clients by directing the progress of the Estate, assisting with organizing information and navigating the administration. This may include dealing with financial institutions and accountants as well as the Court system.
Estate Administration is challenging for families as it is a time of loss, grief and change. We are here to help with that adjustment in order to make the burden, whether it be due to incapacity or death, just a little easier to bear.
Please contact our office today if you need assistance or advice about acting as someone’s Attorney, Guardian, or Estate Trustee. We facilitate in person, home, telephone and online appointments to assist our clients. Our office is fully accessible for those with limited mobility.