Bay Area Estate Administration Attorneys

The period following a loved one’s incapacitation or death is never easy. Administering their estate is one of many complications you may face during this difficult time. While estate administration can seem daunting, it is critical to rise to the challenge to ensure your loved one’s wishes are respected.

You do not have to administer it on your own. Berge & Berge provides experienced legal counsel for estate and trust administration to residents of San Jose and the surrounding south San Francisco Bay Area. We pride ourselves on providing compassionate and knowledgeable guidance for anyone responsible for estate administration. You can email the firm or call (408)317-7579 to arrange an initial consultation and discuss your needs today.

When Is Estate Administration Necessary?

Estate administration is the process of managing assets, debts, and trusts on behalf of someone who can no longer do so according to their last wishes. This is most often necessary after someone has passed away, but it may also be required when someone loses legal capacity due to dementia or brain damage.

In these situations, the person is no longer able to make decisions about their assets and obligations. Ideally, they will have left an estate plan with detailed instructions on what to do. However, if there is no plan, the person’s next of kin will usually be responsible for handling critical issues like probate.

Components of Successful Administration

Successfully administering estates is an involved process. The responsibilities include:

• Determining whether there is a last will and testament or trust in place.
• Identifying all financial accounts, assets, belongings, debts, and bills for which the deceased was responsible.
• Notifying debtors and creditors of the deceased’s passing.
• Resolving any lingering debts or taxes owed by the deceased.
• Communicating with heirs and beneficiaries.
• Ensuring that the remaining assets are handled through probate and distributed according to the trusts, will, or other documents left by the deceased.

Benefits of Working With a San Jose Estate Administration Attorney

Administering estates without previous experience is demanding and stressful. Working with a skilled administration attorney can simplify the process. An experienced lawyer like those at Berge & Berge can help you by:

• Explaining your responsibilities as administrator.
• Identifying critical legal documents.
• Collecting information on your behalf.
• Drafting and submitting any vital records.
• Following the rules of any trusts the deceased set up.
• Representing you and the deceased during probate.

In short, the right lawyer can guide you through the process and ensure everything is managed correctly so there is no doubt that you have fulfilled your legal responsibilities.

Schedule Your Consultation With Berge & Berge

If you are currently responsible for administering an estate or anticipate it in the future, Berge & Berge can help. We can provide guidance, advice, counsel, compassion, and sensitivity to your recent loss.

Our empathetic Bay Area estate administration attorneys will guide you through administration to ensure your loved one’s last wishes are followed. Contact our San Jose firm online or call (408)317-7579 to arrange a consultation and learn more about how we can help.