Probate can be an unpleasant stressor while closing the affairs of a beloved friend or family member, especially if there are other loose strings to tie up. As the administrator or personal representative of the estate, you must find the inner strength to calmly and objectively take on those daunting tasks—all while still grieving. If you have never filled such a role before, you will be in uncharted territory. Your role will be governed by numerous legal mandates, which make the process all the more demanding.
During such a difficult time, answering family members and creditors can be nerve-racking; these feelings are only compounded by the crush of solicitations and phone calls from real estate agents and investors. The anxiety mounts because you know you must fulfill every letter of the law.
Our company focuses solely on probate real estate—in fact, we help clients with more probate actions in one year than most agents will see in their entire career. Our educated and experienced professionals will efficiently and compassionately assist you with every aspect of probate real estate. We anticipate your needs and offer solutions designed to execute the estate provisions surrounding real property with the aim of mitigating your stress. Regardless of your needs, we are here to help you garner the highest sales price with the most convenience to you.
As a top brokerage in the D.C. Metro, Virginia, and Maryland areas, we know that probate laws can vary significantly from region to region, and we use that knowledge to your benefit. To ensure that you receive the highest service and attention to detail, we offer you 100% of our concentration and complete dedication to your satisfaction—on top of our knowledge and experience.
Additionally, we offer information and resources that come directly from the local jurisdictions for ease of use. We provide important, yet straightforward documents such as a “case diary” (gives a timeline to track key events and dates pertaining to the probate case) and “resource directory” (provides resources such as contact information for qualified vendors that can assist you with preparing the real property for sale). Our team will save you a tremendous amount of time going forward and our comprehensive services will ease your stress and give you the assurance you need to administer the estate. When you need efficient, compassionate assistance, our team is ready to respond. Call us today, so we can immediately begin to streamline the probate process for you.
Complete List of Services (this section is unnecessary)
- Contact us to set up your personal meeting in our office
- Determine the types of services needed
- Engage our firm
- Let our professionals do the rest
Keeping a Case Diary to Track Key Deadlines (not sure if this is necessary either)
- Date of death
- Date of filing of will in appropriate court
- The date the court appoints a Personal Representative, also known as Letters of Administration
- Date of notice to creditors in local newspapers
- Date of notice to Interested Persons.
- Date to provide all Interest Persons with an inventory of assets
- The expiration date for creditors filing claims against the estate with the Personal Representative
- Due dates for decedent’s personal tax returns
- Date federal estate tax return due if necessary
- Date of District of Columbia estate tax return due if necessary
- Federal and D.C. estate income tax return due
- Automatic termination of the appointment of unsupervised Personal Representative
- First account due with the court in supervised administration cases
- Date of filing later accounts with the court in supervised administration cases
- Date estate is closed
- The date that Certificate of Completion is filed with the appropriate court
The Four Measurable Stages of the Probate Process
- Locate the will and file it with appropriate court; then secure the appointment of the personal representative
- Take a complete inventory of decedent’s assets at the time of death and have each valued
- Verify the taxes, debts, and settlement expenses of the estate and pay them
- Allocate the remaining assets to the correct beneficiaries
Effective Advice for Personal Representatives
Following the guidelines below in orders will ensure that you administer the probate process as quickly and easily as possible:
- Answer each question on every form
- Provide copies of the inventory and completed accounting to all interested parties
- Provide the court with all documents it requests
- Allocate the assets in accordance with the will
- Meet each deadline by keeping a calendar of key events
- Ensure that all assets are listed correctly
- File all necessary tax documents for the estate and decedent
- Keep a comprehensive file on all estate bank statements, canceled checks, and receipts
- Keep a comprehensive file on estate income, expenses, asset allocations, and deposits