PROBATE
Estate Administration
If you have lost a loved one and are not sure what to do with their estate, Katie will walk you through the probate process. Katie’s goal is to make this process simple and straightforward. If your loved one left a will, she will help you fulfill their wishes; if not, she will provide guidance and support to ensure that the estate is properly administered. In California, probate is a court-supervised process that includes the following:
-
A Petition for Probate is filed with the court.
-
The final original will, if available, is submitted to the court.
-
An executor or administrator is appointed.
-
An inventory of the assets comprising the estate is prepared and filed with the court.
-
Last illness, funeral, and other expenses are paid.
-
The provisions of the will are fulfilled (if it exists) and the decedent’s estate is distributed to the beneficiaries.
Katie will also identify whether a formal probate process is necessary based on the value of the estate. If small estate administration can be done and formal probate avoided, she will help you navigate the steps to accomplish this alternative to an otherwise lengthy probate process.
Conservatorship
If you have a loved one that no longer has the capacity to take care of themselves or their finances, then you may need to step in to act as their Conservator.
We will guide you through the process of becoming a Conservator of someone’s person, estate, or both.
Guardianship
A guardianship is similar in many ways to a conservatorship. While conservators are appointed for incapacitated adults, guardians are appointed for minor children. Often parents will nominate someone to be a guardian for their child, however, sometimes the California superior court must exercise its independent judgment and appoint a guardian of the person to have custody of the child and a guardian of the estate to administer any significant property. The court only appoints an individual as a guardian if it is in the best interest of the child. Katie is dedicated to helping potential guardians provide the court and investigating agency with all required information and thereby protect the interests of the child.