Ventura Probate Attorney
At The Werner Law Firm, we have been helping clients through the probate process for 40 years. Our Ventura probate lawyers deliver personalized, quality legal assistance in a wide range of trust and estate matters, including probate and trust administration. If you have a potential probate matter or question, contact us today for a free consultation and guidance.
To discuss your customized Ventura Probate options:
call 805-261-2200 for a free evaluation or via our contact form
Reasons to hire our award-winning law firm!
• 10 Best 2016 Client Satisfaction – Estate Planning Division – AILC
• Selection for Nation’s Top One Percent of attorneys by the NADC
• Avvo “Superb” score (L. Rob Werner)
• Nearly 40 Years in Business
• “Attorney of the Year” by SCV Bar Association
• “Best Attorney” Award Winner by A Daily News Readers’ Choice
• “Best Of SCV” Award Past Five Years in a Row
• Voted “Top 40 Under 40” by SCV Business Journal (Troy Werner)
Trusted Guidance for Each Stage of Probate:
As you navigate the probate process, you may come across major complications that you will not want to handle on your own. When assets need to be managed and distributed, disputes may arise between the beneficiaries. Our Ventura law firm can walk you through these issues. Our goal is to ensure that the probate process is handled smoothly and efficiently.
Probate court addresses the assets of an individual’s estate when they pass away. It is a long and slow process, but can be a necessary one.
Understand that there are often alternatives to probate. It is important to speak with one of our Ventura Probate Attorneys before taking action, as probate and probate procedures can often prove to be a maze to non-attorneys. We address some of these alternatives in our Alternatives to Probate page.
That being said, there are situations where probate is simply unavoidable, and our firm is experienced, well-versed in probate procedures, and dedicated to making the process as smooth and quick as possible for our clients.
If a loved one passes away with a simple will naming you as a beneficiary, or if you are a family member and they had no will, then steps will need to be taken to address their assets. Such steps depend largely on the nature and value of their assets. If you have any questions regarding the steps you need to take, feel free to contact us for a free telephone consultation. We will listen to your situation and figure out what needs to be done moving forward.
Note that our firm often fronts the costs associated with probate and that attorney’s fees are not collected until the close of the estate, so generally no out of pocket payments are necessary by our probate clients to retain us. Attorney’s fees are based on a statutory fee schedule that is based off of the gross value of the estate.
The probate process, on average, takes about a year. We must petition the court to admit a will to probate, or if there is no will, to open the estate and appoint an administrator to represent the estate. Your or another family member can usually serve as administrator. Once an administrator or personal representative is appointed, that person then has the authority to act on behalf of the estate, communicate with banks and other financial institutions, and conduct any other business necessary to close the estate. What is generally the largest task within probate is the accounting, wherein the Court needs to be presented with an accounting of any and all assets and debts within the estate, and ultimately what will be done with them.
Contact a Ventura Probate Law Firm You Can Trust!
Our firms probate lawyers in Ventura are highly trained to handle all probate matters that may arise. We understand that this is a sensitive matter that must be addressed with delicacy, but must also be handled in a manner that ensures that your interests are not neglected. By offering free, initial consultations, our attorneys can discuss your particular situation and start forming a personally tailored solution that is right for you.
To discuss your customized Ventura, California Probate options: call 805-261-2200 for a free evaluation or via our contact form