Los Angeles Probate Lawyer

Probate Attorney Serving the L.A. Area

The Law of Offices of David A. Shapiro, A Professional Corporation, focuses on estate planning and trust and estate administration. Depending on what is involved in a probate estate, the probate process can be very simple or, if the estate is particularly complicated, very complex. Our probate lawyers are adept at handling all types of probate administration, probate litigation and probate dispute matters and can assist you and your family with this legal process. Located in Los Angeles, we serve all surrounding cities, such as Santa Monica, Westwood, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and more. We understand the specific laws that apply to these proceedings and can help you determine whether probate is or will be necessary, as well as how a Los Angeles probate attorney at our offices can help. Our goal is to give you information that guides you in the right direction.

What happens during probate?

Probate is the legal process or court procedure that occurs after someone dies. It usually involves proving that the deceased person's will is valid, identifying his or her probate estate property, having it appraised, paying whatever debts or taxes are outstanding, and distributing the remaining assets or property according to the deceased person's will or state law.

Under probate estate administration, an executor or administrator is appointed by the court to be responsible for the estate. If the deceased person failed to name an executor in his will or that executor is no longer able to act as his agent, then the court will appoint someone else.

What makes up probate estate assets?

All types of property make up the probate estate, including real estate and personal belongings, such as jewelry, stocks, cars, art and collectibles. Real estate, however, must be probated in the state where it's located, so if your grandmother lived in Los Angeles and owned a house in Illinois, the Illinois house would not be part of the probate estate here.

Non-probate assets are those that pass automatically to a beneficiary, such as named beneficiaries in a life insurance policy.

Contact a knowledgeable Los Angeles probate attorney at our firm to see how we can help with your case.