Probate & Administration
Probate, Estate & Trust Administration
When you have lost someone you love, we handle the legal steps so your family has room to grieve.
Guidance After a Loss
After a death, someone has to gather the person’s property, pay final bills, file required documents, and distribute what remains to the right people. In Kentucky, that process often happens through the probate court in the county where the person lived. If the person had a living trust, a trustee handles similar work for property in the trust, usually without court supervision.
Being named executor or trustee is an honor, but it can also feel overwhelming, especially while you are grieving and may be handling a loved one’s home, belongings, and accounts for the first time. There are forms to file, deadlines to track, creditors to notify, and family members asking questions.
We help families grieve while we handle the legal steps. We explain what the process looks like, prepare and file the court paperwork, help you understand your duties, and keep beneficiaries informed. Whether the estate has a will, has no will, or is small enough for a simplified procedure, we will help you find the most efficient path forward. You will always know what has been done, what comes next, and what we need from you.
What We Handle
- Testate Estate AdministrationSettling an estate where the person left a valid will and named an executor.
- Intestate Estate AdministrationSettling an estate with no will, where Kentucky law decides who inherits and the court appoints an administrator.
- Trust AdministrationHelping successor trustees collect, manage, and distribute trust property.
- Petition to Dispense with AdministrationA simplified process that may be available for certain smaller estates.
- Executor & Administrator GuidanceExplaining your duties, inventories, notices, and final settlement.
- Real Estate in EstatesTransferring or selling a home or other property as part of the estate.
Trust Administration
When someone with a living trust passes away, the successor trustee steps in. While trust administration usually happens outside of court, the trustee still has legal duties: locating and protecting trust property, keeping beneficiaries informed, paying final expenses, handling tax matters with appropriate professionals, and distributing property according to the trust’s terms.
We help trustees understand the trust document, plan each step, prepare deeds and other transfer documents, and avoid common mistakes that can lead to family conflict or personal liability.
A Gentle Checklist
What To Do in the First 30 Days
- 1Take care of yourself and your family first. Legal steps can usually wait a few days.
- 2Locate the original will, any trust documents, and important papers.
- 3Order several certified copies of the death certificate.
- 4Secure the home, vehicles, and valuables, and keep insurance in place.
- 5Collect mail and make a list of bills, accounts, and recurring payments.
- 6Notify Social Security, pension providers, and life insurance companies.
- 7Avoid paying debts from your own funds or distributing property until you get advice.
- 8Schedule a meeting with a probate attorney to understand the steps ahead.
Every estate is different. This list is general information, not a substitute for advice about your family’s situation.
Common Situations
A parent passed away with a will
An adult child is named executor and is unsure where to start, what to file, or how long the process takes.
There is no will
A spouse or children need to know who has authority to act and how Kentucky law divides the property.
A successor trustee takes over
A parent’s living trust names a child as trustee, who needs help understanding the trust and their responsibilities.
A small estate with few assets
A family wants to know whether a simplified process could apply instead of full administration.
An out-of-state executor
The executor lives far from Northern Kentucky and needs a local attorney to handle court matters.
Family tension over the estate
Siblings disagree about property, and the executor wants to make sure everything is handled fairly and by the book.
How It Works
- 1
Open the Estate
We review the will or the family situation, prepare the filings to have an executor or administrator appointed, and give notice where required.
- 2
Gather, Pay & Report
We help identify and value property, handle creditor claims and final bills, and prepare required inventories and reports.
- 3
Distribute & Close
We help distribute property to the right people and complete the steps needed to close the estate or trust.
Questions & Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
An executor, called a personal representative in some contexts, gathers the deceased person’s property, pays valid debts and expenses, files required documents with the court, and distributes the remaining property according to the will. It is a role of trust that comes with legal duties.
Testate administration means the person left a valid will. Intestate administration means there was no will, so Kentucky law determines who inherits and the court appoints an administrator to handle the estate.
It depends on the size and complexity of the estate, whether there are disputes, and other factors. Some estates move quickly while others take longer. We will give you a realistic picture once we understand the details.
It is a simplified court procedure that may be available for some smaller estates, allowing property to be transferred without full administration. Whether it applies depends on the estate’s size and circumstances.
Property properly held in a living trust generally passes outside of probate. The successor trustee still has important responsibilities, and we can help with trust administration.
Generally, family members are not personally responsible for a loved one’s debts simply because they are related. Debts are typically paid from the estate. However, an executor should not distribute property before handling creditor issues properly, so get advice first.
Let Us Handle the Legal Steps
You do not have to figure out probate alone. Call us to talk about where things stand and what comes next.
