Jim Hogg County Probate Attorney

What Does A Jim Hogg County Probate Attorney Do?

Probate is the process of distributing assets and settling debts after death. When a person dies with a Will, a Jim Hogg County probate attorney will submit it to the court, along with proof of the decedent’s death.

The probate process also includes notifying creditors of the decedent’s death, as well as sending out notices to all known heirs. The process, while straightforward, can be very overwhelming, which is why many people turn to a probate attorney to assist them with this task.

What If There Is No Will?

An estate can be opened for administration without a Will in the state of Texas. There are two ways to accomplish this. Independent administration requires the heirs to agree in the beginning as to who will be appointed to serve as the administrator. Dependent administration is used when the heirs cannot agree. Both forms require several steps in order to legally distribute the assets that are not automatically distributed by law. A Jim Hogg County probate attorney is well versed in the steps required and can assist you with this.

Real property held in a joint tenancy with a right of survivorship transfers as a matter of law to the remaining tenant. To document this in the property records, the survivor can file an affidavit of survivorship. A Jim Hogg County probate attorney can help with this paperwork. Other financial assets transfer as a matter of law. Some examples include IRAs, 401(k) plans, and money held in transfer on death (TOD) or payable on death (POD) accounts.

A trust is another way to transfer property without a will. A person can set up a trust and transfer their assets to the trust. The trust is then the “owner” of the property, and continues on, even when the original owner passes away. A trust is often used to hold assets such as a family home or family farm.

Jim Hogg County probate attorney Keith Morris Attorney at Law, has years of experience helping clients navigate the Texas probate process and successfully resolving even the most complex estates. Call (713) 636-5339 in Houston and (817) 442-2048 in Fort Worth today for a consultation.

Our firm provides services to clients throughout Jim Hogg County including the cities of Hebbronville, Agua Nueva, Guerra, Las Lomitas, Randado, South Fork Estates, and Thompsonville.