• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • (843) 815-8580
  • hunter@montgomeryestateplanning.com
  • 10 Pinckney Colony Road, Suite #402 Bluffton, SC 29910

Montgomery Law Firm, LLC

Your Trusted Estate Attorney in Bluffton, SC

  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney Profile
  • Services
    • Asset Protection & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate & Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Financial Planning Assistance
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration & Probate
  • Elder Law
    • Are You A Caregiver?
    • Coping With Alzheimer’s
    • Emergency Medicaid & Nursing Home Planning
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Estate Planning Resources
      • Definitions
      • Estate Planning & Related Forms
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Reports
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate & Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Estate Planning
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Irrevocable Trust
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • Trust Administration & Probate
    • Pre-Consultation Form
    • Special Needs Resources
    • Trust Administration & Probate Resources
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss of a Loved One
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
  • Webinars
  • Seminars
  • Reviews
    • Review Us
    • Our Reviews
  • Contact Us
  • Search
Home / Resources / Trust Probate Resources / Loss of a Loved One

Loss of a Loved One

If you have a loved one who has passed away, and you need guidance on what to do next, we can help.

If your loved one passed away with no estate plan or a Will

Dying without an estate plan, is called dying intestate. The estate will be subject to state intestacy laws and go through probate court. This means the division and distribution of the estate will be subject to a predetermined formula, usually providing half of the estate to a spouse, and the remaining half allocated in equal portions to the biological children.

A Will guarantees death probate. The probate court will take over at the time of death to make sure debts are paid, assets are distributed to heirs, and any loose ends are taken care of. All property that is controlled by the Will must go through the probate court. It is a demanding and challenging job, with many deadlines to be met, most of which are within nine months of the person’s death, the mourning period for the family.

Depending on the size of the estate, the complexity of the estate plan and the nature and extent of the assets involved, there may be additional demands placed on the executor.

If your loved one created a Living Trust

Your family will go through a process called Trust Administration. Upon death, the Successor Trustee must take steps to distribute Trust assets to beneficiaries and fulfill any other obligations of the Trust. We serve as counsel to the Trustee and provide assistance with the administrative duties required of the Trustee, and take advantage of any benefits offered by the Trust. When a Trust is not administered properly the Trustee runs the risk of causing the beneficiaries to pay penalties or additional fees. This checklist outlines the steps to take when a loved one passes away with a Trust.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Do not retitle any assets before speaking with a qualified estate planning attorney. That meeting should take place approximately two weeks after your loved one has passed.

 

Montgomery Law Firm, LLC

Montgomery Law Firm, LLC. helps you define what's important.

Montgomery Law Firm, LLC

Contact Info

10 Pinckney Colony Road
Suite #402
Bluffton, SC 29910

Toll Free: (843) 815-8580
Mon-Fri: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Quick Links

  • Our Firm
  • Reviews
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Irrevocable Trust FAQs

Webinars Sign up

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc All rights reserved.