Probate & Estate

Contact a Mobile, Alabama Probate & Estate Lawyer Today

Preparing for end-of-life issues and managing them when they arise are essential to easing the transition for the people you love. Jarvis Law Firm, PC will be happy to assist you in planning for your family’s future. Whether you need a will, trust, codicil, living will, durable power of attorney or other advanced directive, you need a probate and estate attorney who can take care of the details for you. Jarvis Law Firm, PC can help you with all of your estate planning and estate administration needs. Attorney Adam Jarvis has experience representing personal representatives and estates in Alabama and Florida.

Last Will and Testament

Without a will, administration of an estate in probate court is time-consuming and expensive. Without a will, the personal representative of the estate must obtain a bond, file multiple reports to the court and attend hearings to request permission to sell or distribute assets. A will can reduce these formalities and streamline the distribution of assets and the closing of the estate.

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Trusts

In some cases, a trust is the best way to distribute your assets to the people you love or to protect your assets for their benefit. In a trust, the original owner transfers assets to the trust which is managed by an appointed trustee for the benefit of the trust beneficiaries. Depending on the circumstances, the original owner may want to transfer assets to the trust either during life or through a will. By transferring assets to the trust during life, it is possible to reduce the amount of assets that pass through the probate estate. Trusts are useful for protecting minors and people who suffer from disabilities. A trust can be one of the most effective methods of making sure that assets are preserved for the benefit of the trust beneficiaries over the intended time horizon. The trustee is responsible for protecting and distributing trust assets and for filing annual tax returns. Depending on the amount and type of trust assets it may be appropriate for the trustee to be the original owner, a trusted friend, an accountant, an attorney or a bank trust department. If you would like to discuss a trust, call Jarvis Law Firm, PC today at (251) 219-9706.

Estate Administration

There are a significant number of steps that must be taken to administer a deceased person’s estate in accordance with the terms of a will, if any, and state law. An estate attorney should guide you at every step through this process including opening the estate, probating the will if there is one, getting the personal representative appointed, obtaining a bond for the personal representative, publication in the local newspaper, serving notice to creditors, heirs and beneficiaries, negotiating and paying claims, corralling assets, filing required reports to the Court, distributing assets, and closing the estate. If there is a will in place, the will can dispense with some of these steps, depending on the state in which the decedent lived when he died and the state where estate property is located. A primary complaint of heirs and will beneficiaries is that the personal representative is wasting assets either through mismanagement of estate assets or by waiting too long to distribute them. An estate attorney should be closely involved to explain the process of administering the estate to all of the interested parties and to help usher the process along in as expedient a way as the court and state law allows. Estate Lawyer Adam Jarvis has estate experience across three states and would be happy to discuss your situation. To schedule a free consultation, call (251) 219-9706 or email adam@jarvislawfirmpc.com.