Has one of your loved ones recently passed? The time after losing a family member or a dear friend can be disorienting and overwhelming; especially if you are tasked with settling your dear one’s estate. That’s where we come in; let us handle the Probate paperwork.
How do you “get” your inheritance?
When an individual passes away, their heir(s) do not immediately own the assets to which they are entitled—even if there was a Will. First, the heir(s) need to obtain permission from the Probate Court to distribute the assets. The process of obtaining said permission is known as Probate Settlement.
At Glouzgal Law PLLC, we offer Probate Settlement Services for the estates of those individuals who died in Connecticut or New York.
We help the loved ones of a decedent inherit the money and assets to which they are legally entitled.
We complete and hand-deliver the requisite documentation when feasible. Once the Probate Court has processed the documents, we help get access to your loved one’s bank account and the authority to sell any assets they may have left behind that were not specifically devised, such as cars, jewelry or real estate.
How much does Probate Settlement cost?
We offer three different fee structures, all of which are payable upon completion of probate.
- Hourly Billing – We charge $350 per hour for attorneys and $175 per hour for paralegals. Clients often ask for a “ballpark” estimate, but the final bill varies dramatically depending on the individual probate. This option is best for clients who want to pay for exactly the amount of work performed.
- Flat Fee – For clients who want to know exactly what their exposure will be from the “get-go”, we offer a flat dollar amount for the entire probate estate settlement process.
- Percent of Estate Value – Once probate is settled, we bill 2.5% of the total value of all assets left behind by the decedent. This is something like a flat fee mixed with hourly billing, as it is assumed that the more value in assets the more work the probate will take.
All fee structures require a $1,000 retainer paid up-front to cover expenses associated with opening the Probate.
How much time do I have to begin the probate process?
Whether it has been days or years since your loved one departed, it isn’t too late. However, it is always best to start sooner than later since complications tend to arise as time passes.
What do I need to provide?
Apart from providing us basic information—like the decedent’s date of birth and home address–we need the Last Will & Testament, if any, an original copy of the death certificate and the funeral home bill. You may drop these off at our office; otherwise, we will send you a shipping label.
We’ll take care of the rest and will reach out to you if any more information becomes required.
How do I start?
Reach out to us via phone (203-885-0500), text (203-482-2201), or email (eugene@glouzgallaw.com or iman@glouzgallaw.com). We look forward to working with you.