Kent County Probate Estate & Trust Administration Law Firm Serving West Michigan

Probate, also known as estate administration, is the legal process of validating a will through which the assets of a deceased person are transferred to their beneficiaries and their final debts and expenses paid with court oversight and approval. Some assets, however, like life insurance policies or property held in a trust, may pass outside of probate. At Plachta, Murphy & Associates, we guide you through the probate process and are often able to identify other less expensive options for administering your loved ones' estate under certain circumstances.

On the other hand, trust administration is generally not overseen by the courts, but, like probate estate administration, also involves the transfer of assets from the trust to named beneficiaries after the grantor's death.

Both probate estate and trust administration are governed by complex laws and the estate and trust documents as well. The personal representative of an estate, or trustee of a trust, may be held personally liable if they fail to comply with the applicable legal requirements. For this reason, many people choose to have experienced probate estate and trust administration attorneys such as Plachta, Murphy & Associates guide them through the process.

Knowledgeable Guidance, Compassionate Support for West Michigan Probate Estate and Trust Administration

At Plachta, Murphy & Associates, we understand that while probate estate and trust administration involve complex paperwork, financial accounting, and reports, there is much more involved than numbers and papers. We take pride in offering not just solid legal guidance, but also compassionate support for grieving families as they navigate the probate estate or trust administration process. We provide assistance for personal representatives, executors, and trustees through every step of the process, including:

• Preparation and filing of required court documents
• Collection and inventory of estate assets
• Notification of heirs or beneficiaries
• Publication of required notices
• Court appearances
• Preparation of accountings and other required court filings
• Preparation of state and federal tax returns and payment of taxes
• Payment of all valid claims against the estate
• Distribution of remaining assets to heirs or beneficiaries

Plachta, Murphy & Associates has been assisting individuals and families with their legal needs for over 20 years. As a full-service law firm, we are able to offer the support you need with a variety of legal matters. When that need involves the loss of a loved one, and the administration of a probate estate or trust, it's important that you are able to turn to a law firm you already know and trust.

Our Probate Estate and Trust Administration team is committed to helping you and your family through life's challenging times. We care personally about you and your family and even have a social worker on our staff who can walk alongside you, if needed, along with our legal team.

We invite you to download our Probate Questionnaire to get started and contact Plachta, Murphy & Associates to schedule a consultation with a member of our Probate Estate and Trust Administration team.

Probate Estate and Trust Administration Team: Brian J. Plachta, Bryan D. Reeder, Jeffrey M. Black, Vicki A. Poleni, MSW