Probate and Trust Administration

One of our estate planning objectives is to make the administration of decedents’ estates run as smoothly as possible. Even for those clients who have designed their estate plans to avoid probate, much needs to be done. Avoiding probate does not mean the avoidance of estate taxes. Our experienced team can guide the family through the process of proper administration of any trusts in accordance with the trust agreements. This includes the valuation of trust assets, consolidation or division of trusts, and proper trust accounting — all to obtain the greatest estate and income tax advantages. There are also many post-mortem strategies that can be employed to save time and taxes.

In most cases, the local Probate Court will be involved in overseeing at least a portion of the estate. Our team members are experts in Ohio probate law, and we can guide the executor or administrator of the estate through the maze of local procedures in the probate courts throughout the state. Through affiliated firms throughout the country, we have the capability of representing clients with assets in multiple states.