Probate

Your Guide through Probating an Estate
After a loved one dies, your life might feel like a hurricane hit. LOAH will guide you through the stormy waters by representing you through the Probate Process.

Probate is a legal process of dividing up the decedent’s assets (meaning all the property that the decedent owned after he/she passed away). The probate judge appoints an Executor or an Administrator. When a decedent left a will and, in the will, he/she stated who she wanted to manage the estate after she dies, that person is called an Executor. When the decedent did not have a will, the person appointed by the court to manage the estate is called an Administrator. These who words are often used interchangeably. In this article, I will use the term Executor.

The probate judge verifies that the Executor has followed all the requirements listed in the probate rules. These rules require that the Executor inform certain family members and beneficiaries that the probate process has started and informs them that they can respond through the probate process if they do not agree. If the decedent had a will, the Executor must file a copy and prove that it was a valid will. The probate rules also require that the Executor create a list the estate’s asset and the value of those assets, file it with the court, and give copies to certain family members and beneficiaries. The probate rules require that the Executor fill out forms relating to state income tax and possibly federal income tax. The probate rules require that the Executor give notice to any possible creditors. Finally, the probate rules require the Executor to divide up the estate in a way that abides by the decedent’s will or, if there is no will, then in a way that abides by the probate rules. Eventually, the Executor files a final report, and the case is closed.

When a decedent lived in Connecticut and had a Will, the estate rules require that the will be filed in Connecticut Probate Court. However, sometimes the decedent’s estate does not need to go through the full probe process because the estate is so small. The Law Office of Angi Haen can help you navigate this issue.

The Law Office of Angi Haen can represent you through this process and ensure that the probate estate is handled efficiently and in accordance with Connecticut probate rules.

Your Guide for Assisting Out of State Attorneys: Sometimes a decedent lived and died in a state other than Connecticut but owned real property in Connecticut. In that case, you might have an attorney representing the decedent’s estate in the other state but need someone in Connecticut to help with this one piece of Real Property. The Law Office of Angi Haen is happy to help.