Probate & Trust Administration

Estate administration is the court proceeding through which a deceased individual’s assets are transferred to the beneficiaries named in the individual's will (testate administration with the court appointment of an executor) or to the individuals heirs as determined under state law if there is no will (intestate administration with the court appointment of an administrator). In some instances, parties may disagree on the legitimacy of a Will or the interpretation of language in a Trust, and a challenge to the document results in a will or trust contest with court litigation.

Law Offices of Laura A. Lipinski represents individuals who wish to petition the court to be appointed executor or administrator of a decedent’s estate.

These days many people have transferred their assets to a revocable trust during life, making the court probate process unnecessary, and our office represents trustees in the administration of revocable and irrevocable trusts.

Administration of estates and trusts may be routine or complex, and involve many issues from the selling of real estate or a business, to the gathering assets held in bank and brokerage accounts, to the filing of an estate tax return.