Why You Should Choose A Probate Lawyer Before You Pass Away

A probate attorney files your last will and testament upon your death. It is essential that your will be filed at this time, or your heirs will not inherit what you want to leave them. Then they will have to wait until the will has been filed, and the court recognizes that the will is valid, which could take months instead of weeks. During that time, anyone can contest your will. Your will could still be contested if you have a probate lawyer working for you, but there is less time allowed for contesting if the lawyer is the one filing the will for you right when you pass. Here are some other reasons why you should definitely choose a probate lawyer and hire them before your demise.

Your Will Requires Filing Regardless

A will is not an official document unless it is filed with the courts. You can do your will pro se, but if you fail to file it with the courts before you pass, it becomes null and void. However, if you do your own will, and then give it to a probate lawyer to file, your will still stands and becomes official when the lawyer files it. Do not miss out on making your will official because you failed to file it or failed to have a lawyer file it. You should also know that in some states a will cannot be filed pro se, and it must be filed with a lawyer's help.

Your Heirs Will Have a Lot to Deal with Already

It is not a good idea to leave the hiring of a probate lawyer to your heirs. A lot of things can go very wrong, including changing the will or losing parts of one's inheritance as the result of a will filed too late. It takes a lot of time for a probate lawyer to put your affairs and your estate in order, pay off remaining debts you have after you pass, and then award the inheritances to the heirs. When you want to be certain that your heirs will get exactly what they should immediately after you have passed, and will not lose any part of their inheritance to the state, federal, or local government as a result of failure to file the will, hire the probate lawyer now. (It is also a very frustrating and anxiety-producing process for heirs to hire a probate lawyer while trying to deal with their loss and their grief.)