NEED HELP WITH THE LEGALITIES WHEN A LOVED ONE DIES?

 

Let an experienced trusts and estates attorney help you. Roger Gambatese has helped families in Davis, CA, and elsewhere in the Northern California region for over 40 years.

When your loved one dies, something must be done with everything that he or she owned. This is called “administering the estate.” The goal is to carry out your loved one’s wishes and do it expeditiously and correctly.

The term “estate” in this context may include assets that require court involvement (the “probate estate”); assets that do not require probate, but were held by your loved one in a trust (the “trust estate”); and assets that need not be probated simply because of their low value (the “small estate”). The “estate” can include other assets, such as life insurance, annuities and retirement plans, which have beneficiary designations made by your loved one, and assets owned jointly with one or more other persons in joint tenancy. Each category has its unique procedure to transfer your loved one’s ownership to the intended beneficiaries.

Each estate is different. In all cases, California law has an elaborate system to protect the interests of beneficiaries, creditors and tax collectors. Roger Gambatese understands the system and will take the time to make sure that you do, too. When you hire him to help you, you will receive his personal and thorough attention and the attention of his very competent and friendly staff.

Roger Gambatese and his staff will:

• help you develop a plan to carry out your responsibilities;
• help you with the legally required notices to beneficiaries;
• help you meet deadlines;
• prepare and file documents with the courts, county recorders and county assessors;
• obtain new tax identification numbers from the IRS;
• help you complete complicated forms;
• accompany you to local banks to help you establish your authority to make withdrawals from your loved one’s bank accounts to pay estate expenses and make distributions to beneficiaries;
• work with your loved one’s accountant and financial planner to make sure that all your professional advisers are working together;
• help you with required accountings to beneficiaries; and
• do much more to help you complete the estate administration.