Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC

The Estate Planning Law Firm You Can Trust
Book an Inital Call Now

Trusts and Estate Administration

Lansing, Michigan Estate and Trust Planning

Eldery couple happy and smiling

When a person passes away, his or her estate must be administered, including locating his/her assets, paying taxes owed, inventory and appraisal, filing the will, and often providing accounting to beneficiaries. The process of managing a decedent’s estate is known as estate administration. Estate administration can be a complicated process, especially when it involves asset location and complex procedures. Everything from ensuring the necessary taxes are filed, to taking an inventory of the property, and to distributing the remaining assets can be extremely overwhelming. Even worse, this process comes at a time when people are emotionally drained due to the loss of a loved one. With all the complexities associated with trust and estate administration, it’s a good idea to work with experienced legal counsel to minimize conflict and ensure the deceased’s assets get to the right beneficiaries in the smoothest way possible. A trust and estates attorney can provide legal counsel to help you resolve issues to do with trust assets, debts, and disputes.

What Responsibilities Does the Named Trustee Have?

If the deceased created a trust to hold their assets, the named trustee must ensure the trust’s terms are adhered to. The trustee has many responsibilities, and they must follow the law and the trust agreement when making decisions. At Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC, we are ready to make the process of trust and estate administration as seamless and painless as possible. If the deceased left behind a will and no other documents, probate will be required. Probate is simply a court process where the validity of a will is determined. Probate is a complicated legal process that requires executors of the estate or the next of kin to prepare forms, submit filings in court, meet deadlines, and notify heirs, creditors, and any involved parties. Serving as an executor of an estate entails a massive level of responsibility, especially when you don’t have a legal background and experience. Luckily, a skilled attorney can work with the trustee to ensure proper administration.

Benefits of Hiring a Qualified Attorney

Some of the benefits of hiring an attorney include the following:

  • The probate process will be completed more quickly. The process can take years if handled by an executor without legal background or experience. Having to learn state laws regarding trust and estate administration while also submitting court documents may be an overwhelming task.
  • The net effect of completing the court process and other procedures on time is reducing the amount of time the trustee or executor dedicate to the case. The potential for disputes is significantly diminished if the case is handled by a professional.
  • A professional legal expert can be placed between a trustee or executor and the beneficiaries, allowing for a smooth transition of assets to the right heirs and have appraisals completed for tax purposes.

Additionally, skilled local attorneys can work closely with all the interested parties to ensure the decedent’s assets are collected, the necessary estate taxes are filed, and that every beneficiary gets their rightful share of the estate. If the deceased held their assets in a trust and the named beneficiaries are 18 years or older, the assets may be distributed outright to the beneficiaries. But if the beneficiaries are minors, the assets may be held in a trust to support the needs of the children until they are adults. If the deceased did not create a trust, the court might appoint a person to manage the estate until the heir reaches 18 years. Handling these processes without a legal background or experience can be an insurmountable task, not to mention the costly mistakes you can make, so do not delay in hiring a professional.

A Professional Can Assist You with the Trust and Estate Administration Process

With decades of experience in guiding clients through estate and trust administration, no task is too complicated for our legal advocates. Our firm can guide you on how assets should be handled and in the preparation of the necessary tax returns. Our goal is to make the process of transferring assets stress-free, help our clients to avoid costly court proceedings, and ensure our clients have peace of mind. No matter how complicated your situation seems, Leydorf Law Firm, PLLC can guide you from the beginning to the end, making the process as understandable and stress-free as possible. Call today to get started.

Client Success Stories

Leah Atkinson
Leah Atkinson
March 7, 2022.
Nick has been helping me with my mother's estate since she passed over 2 years ago. He has been a godsend! Always easily flexible and responds very quickly if something urgent came up. He was very helpful with understanding the processes of everything we were doing. Then after almost 2 & 1/2 years, his final invoice was wayyy cheaper than I expected (not really knowing the going rate for estate work). This was a very trying time in my family's life and Nick made it so much easier! Thank you Nick!
Tanya Pattison
Tanya Pattison
August 2, 2020.
Roger deuce
Roger deuce
July 30, 2020.
Provides top notch services at affordable prices. Highly recommended
LouisDMichael
LouisDMichael
July 30, 2020.
If you’re in need for an attorney in the greater Lansing area, you can do no better than Nicholas Leydorf. Do yourself the justice of having him as your counselor.
Shandra Bremer
Shandra Bremer
July 30, 2020.
Needing a lawyer is never fun, but Mr. Leydorf made the experience quick and painless. He got the job done, and we felt like we were in good hands the entire time.
Anjuli Baraily
Anjuli Baraily
July 28, 2020.
Roy Salas
Roy Salas
July 24, 2020.
Mr leydorf represented me like he was the one on the stand. Best court experience ever!!!
Erica Johnson
Erica Johnson
July 17, 2020.
Nick is an excellent attorney! From the first time I met him he was very informative, responded to all my questions and was caring and understanding. I got the best possible outcome and I will definitely refer Nick to anyone that needs a great attorney! He goes above and beyond for his client!
Gravity Smokehouse
Gravity Smokehouse
June 24, 2020.
Nick followed through with everything and was very responsive with any questions or concerns that came up. Nick is very personable and easy to talk with as well.
Megan Bryers
Megan Bryers
March 6, 2020.

Book an Initial Call

Let's Talk!

Schedule an available time to speak with us. We look forward to meeting with you!
Book an Initial Call

Stay Informed

Join Our eNewsletter

Stay informed and updated by subscribing to our eNewsletter!
Subscribe Now!
DisclaimerIMS - Estate Planning and Elder Law Practice Growth Advisors
Powered by
magnifiercross