Trust and Estate Administration-What to Do at Death

We are happy to assist with the administration of an estate, whether there is a trust or not. The administration of an estate or a trust requires collecting the assets, making sure bills are paid, taxes are paid and the distributions are made properly. As soon as a person dies, his or her Social Security number can no longer be used for accounts.

The estate or the trust needs to have its own tax identification number so income can be properly tracked and properly paid. Even in the most simple estates, it is very important to get the proper notices to creditors, so that the statutory deadline for claims applies. Otherwise, a creditor can come back to the personal representative or trustee to collect the debt- even years later.

All distributions to beneficiaries should be made in conjunction with releases of claims. Otherwise, a beneficiary can take his or her money and have a "war chest" to cause problems and bring claims against the personal representative and trustee.

Our staff is experienced in dealing with financial institutions, hospitals and the government to work through the paper work and obtain the records and finances due to the estate and decedent. The collection of assets is often more an "art than a science" and can be very frustrating for beneficiaries. We are happy to help and alleviate the pressure and strain.