Tallmadge, Ohio, Probate and Trust Attorneys Serving Akron and Northeast Ohio

Maguire Schneckenburger Legal Group’s experienced probate attorneys have been helping clients administer estates throughout Ohio for over 45 years. We take pride in our professionalism and efficiency while guiding our clients through the probate process. Our clients have come to us from areas across the state, including from Akron, Brimfield, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Kent, Mogadore, Munroe Falls, Stow, and Tallmadge.

Helping You Understand Your Ohio Estate Administration Options

Probate is the legal term for the court-supervised process of settling a deceased person’s debts and distributing his or her property to the heirs or beneficiaries. Probate matters are overseen by the probate court in the county where the decedent resided.

Depending on the decedent’s assets, a simple probate process may be appropriate. Our attorneys work diligently to simplify and streamline the process.

Ohio Probate Administration

The person responsible for the estate may have a variety of titles depending on the type of estate. In Ohio, the person named in a will who is responsible for an estate is called an executor. If there is no will, a family member who lives in Ohio can apply to be appointed the administrator of the estate. Both an executor and an administrator are fiduciaries. Any fiduciary must get his or her authority from the probate court.

It is important to follow Ohio law in administering an estate. Our probate attorneys can help you avoid costly mistakes that can delay the completion of the probate process. The executor or administrator of an estate can usually obtain the advice of an attorney without personally paying the legal fees because the estate is usually reasonable for the fees.

Maguire Schneckenburger Legal Group will help you with every step of the Ohio probate process, including:

• Filing the will with the probate court
• Obtaining letters of authority that grant the fiduciary the legal authority to act on behalf of the estate
• Preparing and filing an inventory of estate assets
• Notifying heirs, creditors, and interested parties of probate proceedings
• Investigating and paying the estate’s legitimate debts with the proper priority
• Preparing income tax returns for the estate and paying taxes
• Compiling an accurate account
• Closing the estate

Ohio Trust Administration and Non-Probate Transfers

It is important to note that not all of a decedent’s property may be subject to probate. For instance, property held in a trust or jointly with another person passes to new owners without an estate administration. Our attorneys can assist with Ohio and Florida trust administration as well as non-probate asset transfers.

Trusts are as unique as the individuals who create them. Some trusts may continue for some time after the death of the person who created them. Others will terminate soon after the assets have been distributed to the beneficiaries. Our attorneys guide trustees through their responsibilities following the death of the trust’s creator to ensure that all requirements of the Ohio Trust Code are met.

Non-probate asset transfers involve a variety of processes such as claiming a life insurance policy, transferring real property, and facilitating the succession of an ongoing business. Our attorneys can help navigate the transition from a deceased owner to a beneficiary.

Assistance with Florida Probate Matters

Attorney Robert Maguire is licensed in Ohio and Florida. He is a member of the Real Property, Probate, & Trust section of the Florida Bar. He can assist with Florida probate matters for Florida residents or Ohio residents who own Florida property.

If your family member owned real property in more than one state, the estate must be probated in the state of his or her primary residence as well as the state in which the real property is located. The secondary probate administration is called an ancillary administration. Maguire Schneckenburger Legal Group can manage estates for individuals who owned property in both Ohio and Florida, simplifying matters for the family.

Whatever the nature of your probate matter, our attorneys at Maguire Schneckenburger Legal Group welcome the opportunity to offer you the advice and support that you need. We invite you to contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation.