Probate Law - Farmington CT

Probate law governs the distribution of an individual's assets after someone's death. Weatherby & Associates are well versed in probate law. We serve Farmington and the greater Hartford CT area. Coping with the death of your spouse or parent is already stressful. Unless your family has worked with an estate planning attorney, the probate process can be confusing and difficult. If your spouse dies with a valid will in Connecticut, someone must file it with the probate court in the county where he lived. This must be done within 30 days of death, typically by the person named as executor in the will. The executor is charged with administering the estate through the probate process. The executor must gather and value assets owned by the estate. 

If your spouse didn't leave a will, an application for appointment of an administrator must be filed with the court instead. The court will then appoint an administrator who serves the same role as an executor. The administrator is usually a close relative, such as the surviving spouse or an adult child. Bills are paid, taxes are paid, and assets are distributed to the heirs or beneficiaries. 

Not all estates have to go through Probate in Connecticut, for several reasons. An estate worth less than $40,000 won't have to go through a formal probate proceeding. Assets held in joint tenancy, retirement plans, POD bank accounts, life insurance policies, revocable living trusts, real estate transferred  by a transfer-on-death deed, or transfer-on-death brokerage accounts pass to the named beneficiaries regardless of what a will or state intestacy law says. None of the above named are counted as assets. For advice on how to avoid probate, call Weatherby & Associates today for a consultation at 860-769-6938.

Our service area includes the towns and surrounding areas of Avon CT, Farmington CT, Granby CT, and Suffield CT, in Hartford County CT.

Probate Law | Farmington CT | Weatherby & Associates