Estate Administration

Probate, also known as estate administration, is the process by which a person's debts are paid and the remaining assets distributed upon their death. During this legal process, a will is offered to the court and application made to appoint an Executor who can legally transfer probate assets to the beneficiaries designated in a will. If no will exists, application can be made to appoint an Administrator or a Trustee may have the authority pursuant to a trust document to immediately begin the administration process.

At a time when the loss of a loved one may make even the thought of dealing with such matters difficult, our trust and estate attorneys can provide the expertise and sensitivity that will help ease and simplify the process of probate. Albany attorneys at Ganz Wolkenbreit & Siegfeld can help with such tasks as:

• Preparing the appropriate court documents to appoint an executor or administrator
• Identifying and inventorying estate property
• Paying estate debts, expenses of administration and taxes
• Preparing estate tax returns if necessary
• Distributing property as directed by a will, or state law
• Accounting to the Probate court or beneficiaries for the collection and distribution of probate assets