Probate and Trust Administration

At Isenhour Bleck we can assist you in handling the administration of an estate when a loved one dies.   

When is a probate necessary and how long will it take?

A probate is the court-supervised administration of the estate of a deceased person to ensure that the deceased person’s property is distributed according to the terms of the Will or by a statutory scheme if there is no Will.  

In many cases a probate is necessary to access the assets owned by the deceased person or to establish trusts that are included in the Will.  In cases where a married person dies and assets are owned jointly with the surviving spouse, a probate may not be necessary if the spouse is the outright beneficiary under the Will and is able to access the assets as a joint owner. 

In Washington State probates are not time consuming and typically are completed in less than a year.  And, because our state has minimized judicial involvement in the probate process, probates cost much less here than in some other states. During our first meeting we will give you an estimate of the legal fees that can be anticipated to complete the administration of the estate.   We will guide you through the requirements to administer the estate properly, including dealing with creditor’s claims and estate and income tax issues.   Our goal is to take to burden off of you during the difficult time after a loved one dies.

Trust Administration

If you have been appointed to serve as a trustee of a trust it is important to get legal advice on how to comply with your obligations.   We frequently advise trustees on their duties and responsibilities in administering a trust including a special needs trust or a trust for a spouse or minor children.