There are many tasks we estate planning attorneys are great at tackling. Then again, there are many we really would prefer not handling ourselves. Things like holding estate sales, doing inventory on personal property, handling bio-cleanup, holding estate sales, or scheduling virtual property tours are just a few of the things on that list. Here are some of the things we probate attorneys want to avoid most of the time, how they are normally handled, and how to makes things easier for your firm. Hint: a singular outsource solution can help!

When a person is grieving the death of a loved one, the last details they want to think about is everything that needs to be done to probate the estate. It is common for people to run straight to a probate attorney to get started. While hiring a probate attorney is a great first step in probating a loved one’s estates, it can be immensely helpful for the probate attorney to seek assistance, for the non-legal tasks involved, in order to expedite the probate process.

If your firm would like to avoid certain aspects of handling an estate, because it becomes time-consuming and takes your attention away from handling the actual legal work, here are just 6 ways Mourning Services, LLC can assist probate attorneys with handling their clients’ estates:

1. Property Clean-up/Handyman Work

It is common for the deceased’s home to be in disrepair after their death due to their physical inability to keep up with the demands of their property. Unless instructions are provided in the will, the executor or personal representative will need to determine whether the house is to be sold and distributed among the beneficiaries or if the beneficiaries will keep the property. If the property is to be sold, then it is important to get the house in decent shape in order for it to pass an inspection and sell for top value. We provide services such as property clean-up to dispose of unwanted items (clutter, vehicles, RVs) left at the property and can also perform handyman work to make improvements to the property. Our professionals at Mourning Services, LLC can assist with getting your real estate in top shape to ensure you bring in the most amount of money for the estate.

If the death occurred unexpectedly, the executor or personal representative may be unable to gain access to the home because a spare key was not provided. It may also be important to change the locks to prevent access from a trespasser who is no longer allowed on the property. If this happens, our company will work swiftly in gaining access to the home and ensuring locks are changed.

Additionally, people are unsure what to do with a deceased’s pets which survive their owner’s death. If the family members or beneficiaries do not want to have ownership of the animals, then it is important for the animals to be rehomed as soon as possible. We are able to provide a service to help secure an appropriate home for the pets, so the probate attorneys do not need to concern themselves with this extra task.

3. Inventory of Assets
The personal representative or executor of the estate must provide the estate attorney with an inventory of assets for the probate attorney to file a complete report with the Court. Unfortunately, it becomes a hassle for the probate attorney to gather this information due to the beneficiaries or personal representative/executor’s delay. We can assist with compiling an inventory of assets to report to the probate attorney within a timely manner so the probate attorney will not experience any delay with filing reports for the court. This task can be performed simultaneously while we help prepare for an estate sale/garage sale. This will help the probate attorney keep an organized file of all assets which are to become a part of the estate in order to appropriately notify the Court.

4. Moving and Storage
Moving is one of the most stressful times during anyone’s life and it does not become less stressful after a loved one has passed. There can be time restraints due to how long the property is available after someone has passed, especially if the property was a rental. We are able to assist with sending movers to the property to remove any belongings and take it to a storage facility or other desired location. This will ensure the deceased’s valuables are kept safe and no extra charges are incurred for staying in a property longer than allowed.

5. Setting up an Estate Sale/Garage Sale
An estate sale is the selling of most of a deceased’s possessions to help create more liquidated funds for the probate estate which is divided among the beneficiaries. An estate sale also helps downsize the amount or items which needs to be moved from the property. There are many steps in setting up a successful estate sale and it is important to hire professionals to ensure it is done properly. Often people will be inundated with handling their grief after the death of a loved one and this can cause delay in setting up an estate sale. This delay will only cause more difficulty for the attorney assisting with probate. By hiring our company to assist with the estate sale, you are ensuring the estate sale happens in a timely manner.

6. Appraisals/Disposition of Valuables
If there are items which hold significant value and the family does not want it sold at an estate sale, it is important the probate attorney determines the value of the items in order to have a correct inventory of the assets within the estate. An executor or personal representative must submit an inventory to the court which catalogues all of the assets, including noncash assets. However, it is important the executor/personal representative is sent to a trusted appraiser to ensure the non-cash assets’ true value is determined. We can help assist the probate attorney in finding the most accurate appraiser in our network to assess the amount of the estate.

If you become overwhelmed with tasks to effectuate the probate of a deceased’s estate, then it is important to delegate the non-legal tasks to a professional and trust-worthy company that can reliably assist you. Our employees at Mourning Services, LLC are here to help. We make the probate process a stress-free and efficient progression than it has been in the past. To learn more about our services, please visit our website here or call us today. We are here to serve your clients with compassion and integrity.