Probate is the legal process of distributing someone's assets after they pass away. It's sometimes unavoidable. If your family has to deal with it after losing a loved one, a probate attorney can help in several ways.

Prepare You For Potential Challenges 

Probate can be a lengthy process that leads to different challenges. If you discover what they could be months in advance, you can prepare and resolve them effectively. You'll want to consult a probate attorney to identify potential challenges for your family's probate process. 

For example, an attorney can identify family members who might contest your loved one's will. Knowing who they are and what their tactics might be makes it easier to come up with solutions that you can execute right away. 

Speed Probate Up 

Probate can be lengthy, but you can speed it up by working with a probate attorney. That's because they'll walk you through each stage, including the filing, will validation, assets cataloging, and identifying beneficiaries. 

Since an attorney manages each phase, providing relevant guidance the entire time, you will avoid costly mistakes that lead to inconvenient delays. 

Handle Illegitimate Claims 

After a loved one passes away, there might be illegitimate claims against their estate. For example, a distant relative might try to say they're entitled to property that's left over. In that case, hire a probate attorney. 

You need their help to handle these false claims legally. They can show which beneficiaries are entitled to assets part of the estate. They can even send a cease and desist to parties who harass your family about the estate. 

Provide Debt Management

If your loved one still has debts to pay after they pass on, it will be up to surviving family members to take care of them. Specifically, the will's executor is responsible for figuring out how to pay for lingering debt.

Luckily, you can hire a probate attorney to receive debt management services. Not only will they help you identify all debts owed to creditors, but they can also devise a way to pay them all back. You just have to give the attorney access to the loved one's financial statements and records. 

Probate is not something families look forward to, but it may be necessary to distribute assets and settle outstanding debts. As long as you gain advice from a probate attorney, you can make intelligent decisions that help you avoid mistakes and inconvenient delays. 

Reach out to a local probate lawyer to learn more.