Probate Lawyer – Is it Necessary to Hire One?

Finding a San Diego Probate Attorney is not such a difficult task. But before that, you will have to find out if you actually need one. Let us start by understanding what exactly a probate lawyer does.

A probate lawyer is a lawyer who manages the filing of the will or last testament of a deceased individual. He/she is often called a trust lawyer or an estate lawyer. Hiring one will help you avoid the disputes that might arise from the disposition of your property.

Most people do not give much of thought to it unless someone close to them actually passes away. Then in their sense of urgency, they end up hiring an inexperienced lawyer who may not best represent their interests.

If you are aware of the importance of having a will you will know how important it is to hire a probate lawyer. Writing your will may not be something you would want to do, but it is going to save your family members from experiencing further emotional distress after you pass away. Getting your ‘Will’ done through an experienced probate attorney is one of the best things you can do for your loved ones before you pass away from this world.

Writing a will is not always easy. A lot depends on the kind of estate planning you have done. Of course, a probate attorney can always be hired even after you pass away to distribute your assets and take care of your debts. This can be done with or without a Will. But if you want to make sure such distribution is fair and according to your interests, it is better to hire a probate attorney while you are still alive.

An experienced probate attorney can help you create your last will and testament so that none of your family members get into any kind of property-related disputes after you pass away. Such a will is for their security in the event of your passing away. Being known as a trust lawyer, a probate attorney also helps with trust planning, powers of attorney, and medical powers of attorney.

A probate lawyer can assist in protecting your assets and in preparing all the necessary documentation that is to be filed in the probate court. Apart from the above, there are also other matters such as income tax issues, retiling the decedent’s assets to beneficiaries, and obtaining court permission for actions that a probate lawyer can deal with.

Many people wonder if they actually need to hire a probate attorney to do all this. Since there is no definite answer to this question, the choice is ultimately up to the individual. You can choose to write your will or handle your estate on your own. But if you don’t want it to end up in a personal liability lawsuit because of your failure to execute your property legally, you would do well by hiring a reputed probate lawyer.

It is always better to take care of things before you pass away from this world. Hiring an experienced probate lawyer can be an excellent decision here, since he would know how to probate your estate, according to your interests.