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  • Who We Are
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
    • Speaker Connection
  • How We Can Help
    • Business Owners & Asset Protection
    • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Minor Children & Young Adult Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • Probate and Trust Administration
    • Remarriage and Blended Family Protection
    • Special Needs Planning
    • SECURE Act
    • Wills & Trusts
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      • Elder Law Reports
      • Elder Law & Medicaid Definitions
    • Estate Planning Resources
      • Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Wills & Living Trusts
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate Planning Techniques
    • Frequently Asked Questions
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      • Incapacity Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Nursing Home Asset Protection
      • Probate & Trust Administration
    • LGBTQ Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Probate & Trust Administration Resources
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
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      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
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Probate and Trust Administration

If you recently experienced the loss of a loved one you are undoubtedly still going through the grieving process. That can make it particularly difficult for you if you are also responsible for administering your loved one’s estate. Whether you were named as the Executor of the Will or the Trustee of a Trust Agreement, carrying out your duties can be challenging while you are also managing your grief. At Slaton Schauer Law Firm, PLLC we are committed to helping you navigate the probate process as well as assisting you with trust administration following the loss of a loved one.

What Is Involved in Probate?

Most people leave behind an estate that is made up of their assets when they pass away. Those assets may include real property (a home or land), personal property (furnishings, cash, vehicles), or intangible property (copyrights, intellectual property). Those assets must be accounted for and eventually transferred to the new owners. The legal process by which this is accomplished is referred to as “probate.” If the decedent left behind a Last Will and Testament, the person named as the Executor in that Will is in charge of overseeing the probate of the estate and the terms of the Will determine who receives the assets. If the decedent died intestate (without a Will), the court will appoint someone to oversee probate and the Texas intestate succession laws will decide how the assets are distributed. Probate can be time consuming, especially if the estate is involved in litigation. If you are in charge of probating an estate, having an experienced probate attorney on your side decreases the possibly of making costly mistakes.

What Is Involved in Trust Administration?

If your loved one left behind a trust that named you as the Trustee, it means you are in charge of administering the trust. Because assets held in a trust do not have to go through probate, people often choose to use a trust instead of a Will to gift assets. As the Trustee, you are responsible for distributing the trust assets using the guidelines found in the trust agreement. Trust administration, however, involves much more than just distributing the assets held by the trust. You will be required to manage and invest the assets, keep the beneficiaries informed and resolve disputes among them, keep detailed records, and make sure the trust taxes are paid each year. An experienced trust administration attorney can help you carry out the duties and responsibilities the go along with the job of Trustee.

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Probate and Trust Administration Resources

Travis County – Probate Court

Travis County – Court Policy Regarding “Pro Se” Applicants (Applicants without a Lawyer)

Texas Constitution and Statutes – Texas Trust Code

Contact Us

The probate and trust administration attorneys at Slaton Schauer Law Firm, PLLC look forward to helping you if you are in charge of administering an estate. Contact our office today by calling 512-258-9455 or filling out our online contact form.

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Slaton Schauer Law Firm, PLLC

102 Raley Road

Cedar Park, Texas 78613

Phone: (512) 258-9455

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