If you are the personal representative of a deceased person, you may have a lot of responsibility, one of which is hiring a good Texas probate lawyer. You have the job of carrying out the conditions of the will as the testator wishes.
You will be prone to making mistakes if you do not have a law degree and years of experience in the field. Creating court-required documents, meeting deadlines, serving notices to creditors, etc., can be overwhelming, especially if it is your first time. It is wiser to let an attorney handle the legalities in such cases.
Benefits of hiring a probate lawyer
- To fully understand the process.
If you are a personal representative, you are expected to understand the procedure thoroughly and the laws that concern the procedure. If this is your first time and you do not have a law degree, you probably do not know much about it. A probate lawyer can provide you with a clear understanding of every step.
- To speed up the process.
Probate is already a lengthy process, and it can be years till the beneficiaries can receive the assets they are entitled to. If you are inexperienced regarding the law, you may discover new things at every step, which can be a drawn-out and frustrating process. Probate attorneys already have all the knowledge they need and can expedite the process.
- To prevent liability.
When you handle the probate situation on your own, any mistake on your part can upset the beneficiaries. Mistakes such as generating incorrect reports, paying creditors wrongly, failing to fill and submit court forms correctly are costly mistakes that can put you in trouble. Allowing a probate attorney to handle the situation can prevent others from pointing the blame at you.
- To find and value the assets in the estate.
Your responsibility as a personal representative would be to list and locate all the assets in the deceased person’s will. A probate lawyer can help you in this process by tracing real property, bank accounts, and stock properties. Do not worry about the expenses in the process, as you will be paid a certain percentage from the assets as compensation for your hard work.
- To minimize disputes.
When a professional does not handle the probate process, it can become time-consuming and expensive.
- Creditors and heirs will meddle more if the process is not handled professionally.
- You may end up facing an expensive lawsuit.
- The beneficiaries may request Supervised Administration.
An attorney resolves and avoids disputes.
Probate attorneys can make your life easier with their legal expertise. To avoid making an already complex process even more complicated, set up a consultation session today.
