Estate Planning
While it may be a difficult issue to address, estate planning is an important step you can take to protect the interests of your family. A well prepared estate plan will help you ensure your wishes are carried out and your loved ones are taken care of once you're gone. If you pass away without a plan in place, your family members may be left to sort out the mess in court.
Estate Administration
The procedures in an estate administration takes time and effort by the administrator. At Rubenstein & Pitts, we try to forewarn administrators in order to empower them to have a higher tolerance level for the slow legal process of estate administration. Our attorneys come alongside administrators to help conduct a thorough search of the decedent’s personal papers and effects for any evidence that might point you in the direction of a potential creditor, examine the decedent’s checkbook and check register for recurring payments, as these may indicate an existing debt, contact the issuer of each credit card that the decedent had in his or her possession at the time of his or her death and contact all parties who provided medical care, treatment or assistance to the decedent prior to his or her death. Our attorneys help our clients navigate the time-consuming process to eventually file any estate or inheritance tax return necessary after completing their role as the estate administrator.