Richard S. Ramsey Attorney and Counselor at Law
ESTATES AND PROBATE
Estate Planning and Administration
The purpose of probate is to transfer ownership of property from the name of a deceased person to the name of living survivors. When a loved one passes away, you may need to administer his or her estate. This is done in probate court. The rules change whether or not the deceased person had a will or not.
To a large extent, the cost of an estate is dependent upon the value of the assets owned by the deceased person. Therefore, the primary strategy for estate planning is to reduce or limit the value of the assets owned by the deceased person.
Most of the time, sufficient estate planning can be completed by setting up death beneficiaries in those assets where it is permitted. Often times, real estate can be transferred on death by filing the appropriate deed or affidavit with the county recorder. For complex situations, we may look at setting up a trust.
Call us to schedule a consultation to review your options.