Probate Attorneys in Arlington, Virginia & Washington, D.C.

Guiding You Through the Probate Process

We Assist Executors & Personal Representatives in the Efficient Settling of Estates

To maximize the value of an estate in probate, representatives may find it helpful to contact an established estate planning law firm. At Gene Robinson Law, PLC,  we advise clients serving as executors or administrators on how to comply with all aspects of estate administration accurately and completely. If you’ve been appointed to either position, you can benefit from sound legal guidance so you are not held personally liable for losses in the value of estate assets due to errors or misconduct. We guide individuals in Arlington, Virginia, its surrounding suburbs, and Washington, D.C. through probate with confidence and efficiency. Contact us if you live in or near Falls Church, McLean, Fairfax, Loudoun County, or Prince William County, Virginia.

Thorough & Compassionate Advice During Every Step of Estate Administration

Executors and administrators have a fiduciary duty to ensure that the decedent’s debts are paid and their assets are distributed appropriately, either in accordance with their Last Will and Testament or in accordance with Virginia codified Intestate Succession Laws. Executors and administrators are responsible for preparing the following documents for submission to the court, including but not limited to:

• Notices to heirs and beneficiaries

• Affidavits of Notice

• Inventory

• Estate Income Tax Returns (both Federal and State)

Our office has experience assisting executors and administrators with preparing those documents as well as the probate process.

Understanding Probate

Probate can refer to the court process of validating a will so an executor can implement the decedent’s wishes or to the oversight the court provides for an estate administrator who settles an intestate estate — one in which the decedent left no will.

Most executors are not familiar with probate laws, and some are even surprised to learn the decedent’s will named them as the responsible party. To complete the probate process and settle an estate, our firm may help executors with the following tasks:

• Getting court approval as estate administrator and posting bond

• Filing the will with the appropriate probate court

• Locating beneficiaries

• Finding and assembling assets

• Liquidating real estate or other property

• Acquiring proceeds of life insurance policies

• Transferring assets from the deceased to the estate

• Hiring valuation, genealogy or other experts, when appropriate

• Paying creditors and claimants

• Collecting amounts owed to the estate

• Paying current and delinquent taxes as well as estate taxes

• Filing tax returns

• Distributing property to beneficiaries

Estate representatives can easily make mistakes due to inexperience, stress and hasty decisions. Our team at Gene Robinson Law, PLC, provides clients with reliable, detailed guidance.

Even in seemingly straightforward probate matters, disputes among beneficiaries or between beneficiaries and the executor can arise. When these conflicts surface, you can count on our sound counsel and professionalism in negotiations or in court.

Probate cannot take place without an executor or administrator managing and overseeing the process. When a person does not leave behind a will or establish another means of wealth transfer, the most willing and capable relative usually seeks court approval to act as the personal representative of the estate. We can help qualified individuals obtain the status of estate executor or administrator. At Gene Robinson Law, PLC, our goal is for you to settle your loved one’s estate as efficiently, quickly and easily as possible.

Helping Clients Survive Probate Litigation

When an aging parent leaves money and property to someone other than his or her heirs, the heirs can contest the will in several situations:  when undue influence was exerted on the testator (the person who makes the will); when there is a lack of testamentary capacity (the testator was not of sound mind); or when any of the required formalities for the proper execution of a will are missing (for example, there are no witness signatures).

A will contest can tear families apart. We tread sensitively while maintaining the legal interests of our clients. We can help you resolve litigation involving allegations of undue influence, lack of testamentary capacity and breach of fiduciary duty.

Our goal in estate administration is a swift and sure settlement of the legal affairs with minimum time, expense and disputes.

Contact Us Today

The probate process can feel overwhelming for people unfamiliar with estate law. Our firm can help to ease the burden. To schedule a phone or in-person consultation with Gene Robinson Law, PLC, call our office at (703) 224-8282 or contact us online by filling out the form below.