California Probate Attorneys
Law Offices in Ventura, San Luis Obispo, and Valencia
Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones & Feingold, L.L.P. (“MWGJF”) knows settling an estate can often be a frustrating time for clients. Clients are emotionally drained from losing a loved one and are not anxious to tackle the burdensome paperwork required to settle an estate. Many law firms offer estate administration services. However, it is crucial that clients retain a law firm that has extensive estate administration, estate tax knowledge and probate experience.What is Probate and How Does it Work in California Courts?
The process of reviewing your will and estate by the court is called Probate. The court will review the will to see whether it is authentic and consistent with state law. The courts will also make sure that all debts are settled, and that all taxes are paid. Once the will is validated and the personal representative can satisfy the courts that all claims have been paid, then he or she is free to pay out the balance of the estate to the beneficiaries named in the will. Typically, the probate process takes from six months to a year. Heirs will not receive their inheritance until the process is complete. There is also a rule the court follows regarding who receives your assets when there is no valid will. These rules are called the Laws of Intestacy. Generally, your spouse will receive your probate estate outright, or share it with your children. If there were no surviving spouse or children, your estate would be distributed to other family members.The probate attorneys at MWGJF work with executors and personal representatives to guide them through the process of probating a will or estate in California probate courts. Whether you live in California, or you live in another state but need to probate an estate in California, we can help.
