When it comes the time to administer a person’s estate, the process used is called probate. There are many people who are worried this is a complicated and daunting process. However, it doesn’t have to be. Getting to know more about probate law in Angola, Indiana is the best way to ensure a person knows what to do and how it is handled.
Understanding the Probate Process
Probate is a process where a person’s debts are settled and the legal title to the person’s property is transferred to beneficiaries and heirs. If the person who passed away had a will and the property was subject to the probate process, it will begin when the executor presents the will in the courthouse. If the person who passed away did not have a will, someone will have to be appointed by the court as the administrator. In many cases, this will be the spouse or adult child of the person.
The Four Steps of Probate
The four steps involved with the probate process include the following:
* Filing the petition giving notice to the beneficiaries and heirs.
* Following court appointment, the person named personal representative will have to give notice to all the known creditors of the person’s estate and also take an inventory of the estate property.
* All funeral and estate expenses, taxes, and debts will have to be paid out of the estate.
* The legal title of the property will be transferred in reference to what the person’s will states or based on the laws of intestacy, which is used when the person who passed away did not have a will.
In most cases, it makes sense for a person to hire an attorney to help with probate law in Angola, Indiana. If the individual who passed away did not have a will, the situation may become complicated, which means that having someone who understands what is going to go on can be beneficial.
More information about hiring a probate attorney can be found by contacting the staff at Yoder & Kraus. Being informed is the best way to handle a person’s estate after they pass away.
