Estates

Estates

“Probate” or “Administration” refers to a court Order that gives a person the legal authority to take charge of the assets of the estate of a deceased person for the purpose of transferring the assets to the beneficiaries who are entitled to receive them.

It is good to avoid the expense of applying for probate, and we can help you with that if that would be possible, but probate is necessary where the estate includes any real estate or mineral rights that are not held in joint names with a living person. Probate is often but not always necessary where the estate includes any investments that are in the sole name of the deceased.

Even if most assets are held jointly we can be of assistance to accomplish getting the house registered in the survivor’s sole name, and in dealing with banks or other holders of investments to accomplish the transfer of assets to the survivor upon the survivor giving an indemnity.

Please call us for a brief consultation about whether or not probate will be necessary, and as to what other steps may be sufficient to transfer to the beneficiaries the assets of the deceased.

If an application for Probate or Administration turns out to be necessary, the Suggested Fee Guidelines for Lawyers’ Charges are as follows:

On estates with a gross value of up to $150,000: a base fee of $2,250 plus 1/2 of 1% of the estate value

On estates with a gross value of over $150,000: a base fee of $2,250 plus 1% of the estate value

Please call Leroy at 780-424-6660 and we will be eager to give you some initial advice, and for many simple estates we will be willing to quote a flat fee, usually between $3,000 and $5,000 plus disbursements, that takes into account the estimated time and effort that we predict will be involved, that will in most cases be less than the Suggested Fee Guidelines.