PROBATE ADMINISTRATION & LITIGATION

One goal of estate planning is to ensure that a person’s beneficiaries, already grieving the loss of their loved one, don’t have to suffer frustration, expense and delay with regard to their inheritance. Unfortunately, not everyone plans or plans well for the inevitable.

If your loved one has passed without a will, or if you see problems with the will, The Law Offices of Steven E. Springer can help. Our attorneys have more than 30 years of combined experience in probate administration and litigation. We provide prompt, thorough and affordable legal services to effectively resolve the issues surrounding your loved one’s estate.

THE ROLE OF PROBATE ADMINISTRATOR IN CALIFORNIA

When a person dies intestate (without having left a valid will), the probate court freezes the assets; no property can be dispersed until the estate “clears probate.” That process, known as probate administration, begins with the appointment of an administrator who must inventory the estate, pay its creditors and divide the remaining property according to California’s inheritance laws. How long that process takes depends on the size of the estate and the complexity of its finances. One major issue is the valuation of different types of assets, including stock portfolios, real estate and ongoing business enterprises.

The probate administrator does not have to be an attorney, but he or she must be someone whom all of the heirs can trust, since any one of them could challenge the appointment or, what’s worse, interfere throughout the process, causing waste and delay. The administrator must also be someone who has the training and experience to sort out the issues surrounding the estate’s assets and obligations, including tax liability and other consequences of liquidating assets for distribution.

The Law Offices of Steven E. Springer can guide your loved one’s estate through probate promptly and reliably. Our services are affordable because of our reasonable rates and efficient practices. Most importantly, we enjoy an impeccable reputation for integrity, which is essential to the task.

HOW CAN A BENEFICIARY CONTEST A WILL IN CALIFORNIA?

Beneficiaries often raise will challenges when they feel personally slighted or honestly believe someone has used unscrupulous means to effect a change in the deceased’s intentions. Grounds for challenging a will in California include:

• Mental capacity — Alleges that the testator was not of sound mind when he or she formed or amended the will.

• Undue influence — Alleges that someone close to the testator took advantage of that access to pressure the testator into making or amending a will.

• Fraud — Accuses some party of deliberately deceiving the testator or substituting a false will for the true one.

• Defect information — Asserts that the creation of the will does not conform to legal requirements, such as the presence of witnesses

The Law Offices of Steven E. Springer has vast experience in the area of wills and trusts. In addition to drafting precise documents, we have the litigation skills necessary to challenge or defend wills for clients who are seeking a true resolution to a loved one’s estate.