A Sacramento probate attorney is one who deals with all matters that concern the estate of a deceased individual. The attorney is responsible for ensuring that all the documents that are necessary to probate the will in court have been filed, however, there is far more to the attorney’s duties than that. To make sure you get the best probate attorney for your particular circumstances you first need to have an understanding of what the attorney does while you are still living as well as what the attorney does upon your death. Understanding this can help you determine what services you need and who are best suited to provide them.
A probate attorney is expected to wear a number of hats which include acting as an advisor to those who are drawing up a will; the attorney guides them with living wills and estate planning. Further, the probate attorney works with the heirs by probating the will when the time comes, this includes getting valuations on properties owned by the deceased, collection of any and all insurance proceeds, settle all outstanding obligations that the deceased may have had, determine any taxes that are due, transfer property from the name of the decedent to the name of the named heir and handle any issues that relate to any legal proceedings.
Before you get in touch with a Sacramento probate attorney there are a number of questions that you should ask yourself. These questions can encompass such things as do I need assistance accounts and documents such as a will and trusts or do I need to hire an attorney due the death of someone? A probate attorney can perform a host of functions including assisting in getting legal guardianship of the individual making the will in the event he or she is no longer competent in making financial decisions.
In most cases people begin to look for a probate attorney in the local telephone book, there is nothing wrong with this of course but the information about the attorney is limited. Before you start calling, go on the internet and see if the attorney has a web site, if so you can expect to get a great deal of information about the attorneys experience, record and knowledge of the law. There are numerous web sites available that offer the names of attorneys by jurisdiction, some of these sites include reviews from former clients which can be very helpful.
Arrange to visit the offices of more than one Sacramento probate attorney where you can get an idea of the fees as well as ensuring that you feel comfortable with the attorney.
