Morris Hall, PLLC

Estate Planning Attorneys

MakePayment with multiple options
CALL NOW: 1 (888) 222-1328
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Morris Hall
    • Attorneys
    • Our Team
    • Morris Hall Core Values
    • Communities We Serve
      • Arizona
        • Carefree
        • Flagstaff
        • Mesa
        • Oro Valley
        • Phoenix
        • Prescott
        • Scottsdale
        • Sedona
        • Tucson
    • Career Opportunities
  • Our Services
    • Asset Protection
    • Probate
    • Tax Planning
    • Trusts
    • Trust Administration
    • Wills
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Do I Need an Estate Plan?
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Phoenix Elder Law
      • Tucson Elder Law
    • Estate Planning Problems
    • FAQs
    • Probate Resources
      • Probate
      • Flagstaff Probate
      • Phoenix Probate
      • Sedona Probate
      • Tucson Probate
    • Published Books
      • Don’t Go Broke in a Nursing home
      • Tax Free Money for Long-Term Care!
    • Recent Law Changes and Improvements Affecting Arizona
      • Update My Living Trust
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • What to Do When Death Occurs
      • What Not To Do When Someone Dies
      • Who To Contact After A Loved Ones Death
  • Reviews
    • Testimonials
    • Review Us
  • Locations
  • Events
    • Seminars / Webinars
    • Past Webinar Recordings
  • Contact
    • Consultation Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Discounts

Probate

probate-and-trust-administration

The passing of someone close to you is a difficult and emotionally draining time. The last thing you likely want to deal with is the business of settling your loved one’s final affairs. With the help of a trusted advisor, the process may not be as bad as you might think.

Probate is the legal process through which the final debts and taxes of a deceased person are paid, and through which that person’s remaining property is distributed. If the deceased person had a will, then the probate process involves verifying that the will is valid, officially appointing the executor, and providing a framework for the executor to inventory the assets of the deceased, pay valid claims made against the estate, and distribute the remaining assets to the beneficiaries as provided by the will.

If the deceased had no estate plan at all, called dying intestate, then the probate process is slightly different. An administrator is chosen for the estate, and the administrator makes an inventory of the assets of the estate, pays the claims against the estate, and then follows the provisions of state law to distribute the remaining assets to the heirs of the deceased.

Setting up a living trust, a key step in establishing a formal estate plan, is the best way to avoid the costs and frustrations of probate upon death. Although administering a trust is far easier and less expensive than a probate action, there is always some administrative burden upon death.

If you serve as a trustee of a trust or as a personal representative of a decedent’s estate, you face many complicated responsibilities. The estate planning attorneys at Morris Hall help address any issues that may arise in the course of trust administration or probate. Upon death, the following taxes may come into play: estate tax, inheritance tax, income tax, capital gains tax, generation-skipping tax and excise tax. If the administration of your trust is handled correctly, we can minimize or even avoid those taxes.

Morris Hall, PLLC

Morris Hall, PLLC

This article should be used for informational purposes only.  It does not create an attorney-client relationship with any reader and should not be construed as legal advice.  If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney in your community who can assess the specifics of your situation.

MH logo

Main Office

7600 N 16th St, Ste 105

Phoenix, AZ 85020

Phone: 602-249-1328

Fax: 602-248-2887

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

For a sample Click Here

Offices

Our law firm proudly serves many areas in Arizona. See all of our locations here.

Our law firm proudly serves the state of Arizona.  See all of our locations here.

Toll Free: 888-222-1328

Mon-Thur: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Fri: 8:00am – 4:00pm

  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram

Need an Estate Planning Lawyer in Arizona?

Looking for an estate planning attorney near you? We have office locations in Phoenix, Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale, West Valley, Carefree, Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff, Tucson, and Oro Valley in Arizona so please visit us at the location that is closest to you.

  • © 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc All rights reserved.
  • Disclaimer