Probate

A friend or family member’s death is a difficult time. In addition to the difficult mourning process, a person’s financial affairs need to be completed upon death, sometimes through a court process called probate. This can be a confusing and difficult process. Selecting the right probate attorney in Temecula is vital to help you through this time and simplify the process for you.

The probate process is very complex with very technical rules that must be followed in an exact way. By improperly handling this process, these court proceedings can stretch out for years – significantly delaying their completion. Not only with this delay the probate completion, any assets or cash that could otherwise be distributed through the estate can be completely depleted by rising legal fees and other costs and expenses.

Our probate attorneys in Temecula, California can help you whether a person left a will, a complete estate plan with a trust, or no estate planning at all. Even small estates require assistance to transfer assets, obtain life insurance proceeds, file beneficiary claims, deal with creditors, and obtain the benefits you are entitled to receive.

If a revocable living trust is in place, but assets were not properly titled in the name of the trust, a court order may be needed to transfer assets, even if a surviving spouse remains. The remaining spouse also needs to comply with the terms of the trust and fulfill trustee obligations. Additionally, ongoing trusts must adhere to certain requirements to remain valid.

Personal representatives and trustees have many legal obligations to follow. The Shoup Legal team can help you.