Probate refers to the legal distribution and transfer of assets following a loved one’s death. It is mostly used when a person owns a real estate or property only listed in their name. Even when a person’s property is left to a family member, legal steps need to be undertaken for carrying out the inheritance. If you have been thinking of hiring a probate attorney, then you have come to the right place. Today we are going to take a look at some questions you need to ask your probate attorney before hiring them:
- Given the high complexity of probate cases, it is advisable to proceed with an attorney who is experienced in the field of probate law. You can enquire about the cases they have handled or their years of practice in probate law. If high-dollar real estate assets are involved in your case, then your chosen attorney also needs to have experience in that area. Some of the questions you can ask in the initial meeting are:
o How often have they worked on conflicts that ended in getting litigated?
o Describe the timeline of my case progress?
o A clear explanation of the billing process.
o What are the strengths and weaknesses of my case based on the information gathered?
- Probate is a field of extreme specialization and so you need to be cautious about selecting an attorney who practices in multiple areas. Instances of attorneys are not rare who practice probate law for supplementing their income. The attorney you select should have a clear knowledge of probate law so that additional time or resources are not wasted trying to learn the law and causing costly delays. A transactional probate attorney deals with the duties associated with estate finalization. They will name and hire an estate executor in the absence of a will and will assist in the administrative drill of settling the estate. A transaction probate attorney will also submit the death certificate and the final will. You can however go for a litigation probate attorney if there is a potential for a lawsuit or a lawsuit is involved. These professionals are specialized in this type of lawsuit and courtroom proceedings.
- A Reno Probate Attorney can explain the legal nitty-gritty in an easy-to-understand manner. You can gauge their communication skills by conducting an in-person interview with the attorney. During this process, you will understand whether your chosen attorney can cater to your requirements in the best possible manner. Ideally, the probate attorney should answer all your queries with patience so that you can make the most of your estate planning decisions. Settling an estate can be a chaotic and emotional process with multiple parties involved. This is why it becomes imperative to choose a sympathetic attorney having excellent communication skills who will assist in the smooth navigation of the process.
Conclusion
The death of a loved one can impose a plethora of challenges on us. But haggling over money or property need not be one of them. You can avoid the various issues associated with probating a will by hiring a probate attorney.
