Probate

Our care for you and your family includes making sure the probate process runs smoothly. When a loved one dies, we ease your burden by helping you through the probate process and distributing and retitling assets in a peaceful, efficient manner. Let us guide you.
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Probate INCLUDES:

  • Drafting the appropriate paperwork to open the probate estate.
  • Assisting the executor or personal representative in obtaining Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
  • Notifying beneficiaries and creditors that the probate estate has been opened.
  • Locating and determining the value of the estate’s assets and liabilities.
  • Assisting the executor or personal representative of the estate in marshalling and distributing the remainder of the estate to the rightful beneficiaries, including: Real estate, bank accounts, CDs, shareholdings, vehicles, furniture, jewelry, and more.
  • Assisting the executor or personal representative in understanding his or her role in the probate process.
  • Guiding the executor through the proper steps to take according to the law.
  • Drafting the proper paperwork to close the probate estate.

Plan your future with confidence. Book a consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

When a person dies, they often leave behind property (or assets) and financial obligations (or liabilities). The probate process ensures that those matters are handled appropriately under the law. In the probate process, a court will designate a person to be the personal representative of the estate. The personal representative must notify the estate’s beneficiaries and creditors, identify all estate assets, pay estate debts, and distribute estate assets to beneficiaries. When these duties are complete, the probate court will close the estate. The probate process applies both to estates where the person who died left a will and to estates where no Will was left.

The probate process is subject to many factors including whether the deceased person had a will, the size of their estate, and if anyone opposes the probate. Generally, the probate process takes from five to twelve months. A number of circumstances can lengthen a probate including difficulty locating heirs and beneficiaries, claims or liens against the estate, someone contesting the will for its validity, or real estate that cannot be released for some reason.

When a person dies without a will, their assets are passed on according to Tennessee law, or intestate succession. We can help you understand how the assets pass pursuant to the law.

Amy and her wonderful staff guided me through the process. They were diligent, professional, and knowledgeable and made me feel at ease. I will forever be thankful to Amy Farrar and her team, they eased the burden of closing my brother’s complicated estate. I highly recommend them!

- Thomas Sawyer