When you lose a close friend or family member, the last thing you want to think about is calculating debts and assets, paying taxes, and distributing their remaining assets. If they named you the administrator of their estate or executor of their will, however, this is what you will need to do to manage their final affairs.
At the Bratton Estate & Elder Care Attorneys, our team understands how overwhelming this can seem, especially when you are still healing emotionally. Our estate administration lawyers in Hamilton Township, NJ can provide support and guidance through this process, or they can handle it on your behalf. Call us today at
(856) 857-6007 to learn more.
Navigating the Complex New Jersey Estate Administration Process
Knowing what to do and in what order you need to do it in is only the first step in navigating the sometimes-complex New Jersey estate administration process. Because most people do not manage this type of process more than once or twice in their life, even knowing what comes first can be a challenge.
To administer your loved one’s estate, you will need to:
- Enter the will into probate by visiting the Mercer County Surrogate’s court
- Identify their financial accounts, including outstanding debts and assets
- Pay their final expenses out of their accounts
- Assess and appraise all remaining assets
- Calculate and pay any state or federal taxes due
- Distribute the remaining assets according to the will
- Fund trusts, make donations, and carry out all other provisions of the estate plan
This can take time away from work or other commitments, as well as require you to complete tasks you may not feel confident handling on your own. You will likely even need to enlist the help of accountants, lawyers, and appraisers for some of the tasks. If you feel comfortable getting started on your own, we are happy to provide support and guidance. However, an estate administration lawyer in Hamilton Township, NJ can also handle it for you every step of the way.
Let Us Call in the Experts for Your Hamilton Township, NJ, Estate
Not only can our team explain the complicated legal concepts you need to understand to administer your loved one’s estate, but we can also help you with some of the other complex tasks you may not be able to do on your own. This could include:
- Calculating state and federal taxes
- Appraising real estate and collections
- Funding trusts
- Making charity donations as desired by your loved one
- Completing required paperwork for tax purposes
- Other accounting and legal tasks
For the tasks we cannot manage on our own — appraising your uncle’s prized guitar collection, for example — we have a trusted network of partners who are on-call to help us work through some of the more specialized tasks required when administering an estate in New Jersey. With us on your side, you will not need to search for:
- An accountant
- Appraisers
- Tax experts
- Other professionals
We Can Manage All Your Hamilton Township, NJ, Estate Administration Tasks
The team from Bratton Estate & Elder Care Attorneys can take on the administration of your loved one’s estate and handle every detail while you focus on spending time with family and friends and mourning the loss you suffered.
When it comes to administering a New Jersey estate, our team can provide support every step of the way. We can take on as much or as little of the responsibility as you want us to. This could include:
- Explaining your responsibilities as an estate administrator
- Identifying an appraiser who can put a value on unique assets
- Assessing the estate and calculating its value
- Explaining any tax implications of the actions you take
- Managing planned giving as requested in the estate plan
- Filing inheritance tax paperwork and reporting charitable gifts
- Funding trusts as outlined in the estate
- Mediating any conflicts that may arise
- Representing you in the event of estate litigation
The Bratton Estate & Elder Care Attorneys Can Reduce the Risk of Estate Disputes
Estate disputes are more common than you realize, especially in situations where there is no will or family members to challenge the validity of the will. Occasionally, family members will also question the trustworthiness of the estate administrator or accuse them of wrongdoing. Estate disputes can quickly escalate into litigation if no one acts to diffuse the situation.
When you enlist the help of the Bratton Estate & Elder Care Attorneys to administer your loved one’s estate, you drastically reduce the risk of a dispute or litigation. Our attorneys have special training in mediation techniques proven to be effective at reducing conflict. Not only will we reduce the risk of family members accusing you of wrongdoing, but we can also help settle conflicts if they do arise.
Talk to an Estate Administration Lawyer in Hamilton Township, NJ
If you are like many people, the prospect of administering the estate of a loved one leaves you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. There is no reason why you need to worry about how to manage probate or calculate taxes due. Let the estate administration lawyers in Hamilton Township, NJ handle your estate administrator duties, and you can focus on remembering your loved one and mourning your loss.
If you need help with Hamilton Township, NJ estate administration tasks, or if you are not even sure where to start, do not hesitate to give us a call today at (856) 857-6007. Our team is here to support you every step of the way.
