Navigating the legal process of estate administration can be complex and emotionally draining.  An attorney can manage the administration of your loved one’s estate efficiently and compassionately so you don’t have to.  Jonathon Maddox, Esq. is experienced in probate law and handles all legal aspects of the probate process including court filings, trust administration, creditor claims, asset inventory, contesting a will, and annual accountings, allowing you to focus on grieving instead of the stress that can come from distributing assets or handling beneficiary’s expectations.

It is important to make sure that any will is properly executed or revised in order to ensure its validity and reduce future complications in the probate process. If there’s an additional will or the will wasn’t properly signed, or is otherwise contended, the legal process of probate can be almost impossible to navigate.  If there’s no will, then the person is said to have passed intestate, and  a personal representative will need to be appointed/qualified before you can move forward.

Once you’re qualified as the executor/personal representative, a person can accumulate many different types of assets during the course of their life, and the way that property is transferred to others can depend on whether the individual passes with or without a will.  When a person does leave a will, its validity still needs to be proven in court, and the proper forms need to be filed depending on the size and complexity of the estate.  In addition, it’s important to properly categorize different assets.  Virginia has multiple types of property, including real property or personal property, and the executor may have to deal with ownership issues like joint tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, and marital verses separate property. Virginia law also has varying forms and filings for an estate, based on the size and specific assets involved.  Whether you need to handle a trust, accountings, a will, or someone who passed away intestate, let Maddox Law help you through the process.