Are you interested in working with a black lawyer to help you secure your legacy and the future of your family? Attorney Christy K. Brown is here for you. She stands out as one of the top African American probate attorneys in Houston, TX providing legal services that work with you and your family to create a plan that helps you to maximize your wealth and minimize the long probate process once you have passed away.
What is Probate?
Probate is the formal legal process that gives recognition to a will and appoints the executor or personal representative who will administer the estate and distribute assets to the intended beneficiaries. The laws of each state vary, so it is a good idea to consult an attorney to determine whether a probate proceeding is necessary, whether the fiduciary must be bonded (a requirement that is often waived in the will), and what reports must be prepared. Most probate proceedings are neither expensive nor prolonged, which is contrary to the claims of many vendors selling living trusts and other products.
The basic job of administration and accounting for assets must be done whether the estate is handled by an executor in probate or whether probate is avoided because all assets were transferred to a living trust during lifetime or jointly owned. Many states have simplified or streamlined their probate processes over the years. In such states, there is now less reason to use probate avoidance techniques unless there are other valid reasons to continue to minimize probate. In planning your estate, more important than minimizing probate is minimizing the real issues that can make probate difficult, such as lawsuits by heirs
Why Should I Try to Avoid Probate?
The main benefit of working with an attorney to help remove or minimize the probate process is simple. It helps you to save time and money. Probate is a court process that in many cases will require multiple court proceedings and hearings. It can take several months or even years for your loved ones to gather the assets you have left behind and pay the debts that come along with them.
If you are interested in maximizing the wealth that you pass along to your beneficiaries, working with an attorney ahead of time can help you to create a strong plan. In addition to estate planning, Attorney Christy K. Brown can offer tax advice to help reduce these costs as much as possible for your loved ones.
If your loved one has passed away and left you their estate in a will, you may be in the position to begin the probate process yourself. This can be a long, expensive, and emotionally draining process for someone who has just lost someone close to them. Working with an experienced probate attorney can help to ensure you are not spending more time or money than needed to claim your inheritance.
Avoiding Probate Costs
Given all this, it generally makes more sense to see if you can avoid probate altogether. But what does it mean to avoid probate? When people avoid probate, they are estate planning—that is, taking advantage of certain strategies during their lifetimes—to avoid the probate process when they die. This usually involves taking steps to make sure that their property can be transferred to their loved ones in some way outside of the probate process, such as by:
- making a living trust
- naming specific beneficiaries for bank accounts, retirement accounts, and insurance proceeds
- using a transfer-on-death deed to name a beneficiary for your real estate, if TOD deeds are available in your state
- co-owning property with “the right of survivorship” so that it transfers automatically to your co-owner at your death
- making gifts during your lifetime (but you’ll need to file a gift tax return if you make a gift over $17,000 to someone in the same tax year).
If you are looking for an African American probate attorney in Houston to help you secure your legacy and minimize the time and costs your family will need to expend in order to claim their inheritance, reach out to our law firm. We will work with you every step of the way to ensure you are getting the most out of your estate planning.
Black Probate and Estate Planning Attorney
With nearly two decades of experience, Principal Attorney Christy K. Brown is a No-Nonsense, Forward-Thinking, and Result-Oriented probate, estate planning, and business lawyer, and she’s committed to handling each of her clients’ concerns equally, creatively, relentlessly, and in a personal way from the first meeting. Schedule your free 15-minute phone consultation today to learn more about how we can help you through the probate process.
Brown Law PLLC
5850 San Felipe Street,
Suite 500, Houston, TX 77057
(713) 554-4975
[email protected]
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