Hiring a Pocatello Probate Attorney

There have been many instances where I have had clients ask whether they would be capable of doing a probate by themselves. In fact, in a recent meeting with a client, after I described the probate process and after I went through the probate diagram that I use during our free 30-minute consultation to discuss probate in Idaho, the client stated that she thought it wasn’t a difficult process and that it was something she thought she might be able to do on her own. My answer to her was that probate is not difficult for someone who has been through the process many times.

However, for someone who has never done a probate, it would be almost impossible for them to know whether they have satisfied all the statutory and legal requirements that must be accomplished. When things aren’t done correctly, it often leads to larger legal problems down the road that have to be dealt with by the family members or loved ones of the decedent.

At the Racine law office, we have assisted clients through the probate process for more than 70 years. Our team of premier Idaho probate attorneys understand the process of probate, the types of probates that are available, and which probate should be completed for each specific client based on their circumstances. Our experienced team includes partners Randy Budge and Lane Erickson and attorneys Nate Palmer and Dave Bagley. Each attorney on our Idaho probate team has earned the highest rankings and reviews possible from past clients and from several legal rating services including Justia, Martindale & Hubbell, and AVVO. Our team of attorneys have the expertise and knowledge to benefit each of our clients specifically and individually.

So why exactly is hiring a qualified Pocatello probate attorney important? This article will discuss some of the things that are important that need to take place during the probate process and why having an attorney helps. This includes resolving debts with creditors of the decedent. It also includes keeping family members from fighting about who should be in charge, or who should receive certain items of property from the estate. Additionally, by using a qualified and experienced Pocatello probate attorney, you will have the assurance that the probate will be completed correctly and quickly.

The first way that having an experienced probate attorney helping you is a good idea is when you’re dealing with the creditors of the decedent. While it’s true that some individuals don’t have any creditors, this is actually a pretty rare occurrence. The reason for this is because most people have at least monthly utility bills and services that they need to pay for.

Additionally, many people who pass away also have mortgages, loans on their vehicles, and credit card debt. Furthermore, depending on the circumstances of the death of the decedent, there could also be medical bills that exist that need to be dealt with. Finally, in many circumstances, the estate of the decedent also has to deal with certain government program benefit repayments such as Medicaid. On top of all this, there are often times when unknown creditors come forward that have to be dealt with as well.

An experienced Probate probate attorney will understand these things and will help you through the process of dealing with each of these types of creditors and resolving these debts. When that is completed, the probate attorney will make sure that each of these creditors provides a satisfaction of claim that can be filed with the probate court evidencing that the debt is resolved.

The next area that having an experienced probate attorney help you is important is in making sure that family doesn’t fight. The process of avoiding a family fight actually begins with the creation of the estate plan itself. A well-written last will and testament, and other estate planning documents, will remove the ability I’m family to fight about who will be in charge or who will receive certain portions of the estate.

In the event there is a family fight over any of these things, having an experienced probate attorney on your team is invaluable in resolving these types of conflicts. There are many techniques, processes, and procedures that could be used by an experience Pocatello probate attorney to solve family problems when they arise.

Finally, an attorney who has practiced probate law for many years will understand that there are several different types of probate processes that can be chosen from depending on the circumstances of the family and loved ones of the decedent. For example, a surviving spouse can often take advantage of a speedy probate that is much quicker and far less expensive than the regular probate process. Additionally, it’s possible in some circumstances to join both spouses together to complete a joint probate even when the first spouse that passed away did so many years before the second spouse passes away.

Additionally, there are circumstances that may provide a way for family members who are not satisfied with how a probate is going to challenge the individual who was appointed as the personal representative and require that individual to be supervised by a court in every step they take during the probate process.

While it’s true that we live in a do-it-yourself world, probate is complex enough that it is an area where you should get a qualified and experienced Pocatello probate attorney to help you through the probate process. We have assisted numerous clients in determining which probate would be appropriate for their circumstances. We have helped these clients complete these probates and we are confident that we can help you too!

Our team of Pocatello lawyers can help you with any of your estate planning or probate needs. Whether you are seeking to create or review an estate plan for yourself or would like to help a loved one, or have had a loved one pass away recently we are available to discuss your options and answer your questions at an initial free 30-minute consultation. Call us toll free at 877-232-6101 or 208-232-6101 for a free consultation. You can also email us directly at lane@racineolson.com or stop by our office at 201 East Center Street, Pocatello, Idaho 83201. We will answer your questions and help you solve your Pocatello Estate Planning problems.