Probate in California - Merced County Probate Lawyer
The legal process of probate is designed to gather information about the legal and financial
affairs of a decedent, mainly with the intention of ensuring that all debts and taxes are paid
before the assets of the estate are distributed amongst its heirs. In the state of California, the
average probate takes six to twelve months to complete. For a large or particularly complex
estate, probate may not be finalized before several years have passed.
Merced conforms to Californian probate law in that any estate owned by a person who lived in
Merced County (whether it be Atwater, Livingston, Los Banos, Merced, Dos Palos, Gustine,
Santa Nella, or Winton)must go through probate, if the estate is worth more than $100,000. All
assets owned solely by the deceased are included in calculating the value of the estate (meaning
that assets owned by a trust, for example, are not included in this figure).
The process of probate is typically complicated as well as time-consuming; most of the tasks
associated with probate are the responsibility of the executor of an estate. However, this executor
can delegate most of the responsibility by hiring a probate lawyer to oversee the legal aspects of
probate. When the decedent lived in Merced, a probate attorney who understands the Merced
County local rules is the best solution, because probate hearings are held at the Merced County
Superior Court.
How can a Merced County probate attorney help me?
The executor is responsible for managing the estate as it goes through probate, but a probate
attorney can carry out many of the duties of the executor. During probate, the following can be
performed by a probate attorney:
1. Beginning the probate process by filing a petition at the Superior Court
2. Attending all probate hearings up until the time probate is completed
3. Filing all documents relating to probate
4. Arranging for an estate inventory and appraisal, and filing the inventory with the probate court
5. Arranging for the calculation of taxes and debts owing, and the provision of payment for these
6. Meeting all deadlines associated with probate (typically relating to the filing of documents and attending hearings on the correct dates)
7. Filing a petition to end probate when the process is complete
All of these tasks must be completed on time and without error to ensure that probate is
completed as quickly as possible. Once the petition to end probate has been accepted by the
court, the executor of the will is able to distribute the estate amongst its heirs.
