PROBATE & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION · NORTH MELBOURNE
WHEN AN ESTATE COMES INTO YOUR CARE, THE NEXT STEPS SHOULD BE CLEAR.
Steady guidance.
Administering an estate can feel daunting, particularly while grieving. We help executors and administrators understand their duties, obtain the required authority and deal with the estate carefully and in the right order.
Step-by-step
guidance for executors
Clear responsibilities
Understand what an executor must do
Court applications
Probate or letters of administration
Estate guidance
Assets, liabilities, property and distribution
Direct lawyer access
A consistent point of contact
WHERE IS THE ESTATE UP TO?
START WITH THE POSITION YOU
ARE IN NOW.
You do not need to know whether probate is required before contacting us. We can identify the appropriate pathway from the Will, the assets and the requirements of the institutions involved.
I am the executor.
We review the Will and assets, advise whether probate is required, prepare the application and guide you through the responsibilities that follow.
Discuss the estate →The estate needs
an administrator.
We explain who may apply for letters of administration, prepare the application and advise how Victorian intestacy rules affect distribution.
Discuss the estate →The estate still
needs administering.
Assistance with collecting assets, dealing with property, paying liabilities, keeping records and distributing the estate in the proper order.
Discuss the estate →EXECUTOR CARE
Authority comes first. Distribution comes later.
Before releasing estate funds, executors should identify liabilities, taxation issues, potential claims and the appropriate risk periods. We help you proceed in the correct order.
HOW WE CAN ASSIST
FROM THE FIRST DOCUMENT REVIEW TO FINAL DISTRIBUTION.
You can ask us to handle the court application only or assist more broadly with administration, depending on the estate and the support you require.
Probate applications
Prepare and file an application where the deceased left a valid Will and appointed an executor.
Ask about this assistance →Letters of administration
Apply for authority to administer an estate where there is no Will or no available executor.
Ask about this assistance →Estate administration
Assist with asset enquiries, liabilities, property, accounts, statutory notices and distributions.
Ask about this assistance →Executor guidance
Explain duties, risks, record-keeping, decision-making and the appropriate administration timeline.
Ask about this assistance →Property in estates
Transmission, survivorship, sale or transfer of estate property and coordination with beneficiaries.
Ask about this assistance →Estate concerns
Initial advice about informal Wills, capacity concerns, disputes and potential family provision claims.
Ask about this assistance →THE ESTATE PATHWAY
A CAREFUL SEQUENCE, CLEARLY EXPLAINED.
We identify what needs to happen now, what must wait and what records should be retained.
01
Gather the documents
We review the Will, death certificate and information available about assets and liabilities.
02
Obtain authority
Where required, we advertise and prepare the probate or administration application.
03
Administer the estate
We guide the collection of assets, payment of liabilities and lawful distribution to beneficiaries.
USEFUL FIRST DOCUMENTS
BRING WHAT
YOU HAVE.
WE WILL IDENTIFY WHAT IS MISSING.
An initial conversation can still be useful if the death certificate or complete asset information is not yet available.
COMMON QUESTIONS
WHAT EXECUTORS OFTEN
NEED TO KNOW FIRST.
Every estate is different. The assets, Will, liabilities and possible claims determine the appropriate process and timeframe.
No. Whether a grant is required depends on the nature and value of the assets and the requirements of each asset holder.
The timeframe depends on the assets, liabilities, tax issues and whether any claims arise. Executors should generally avoid distributing too early and should obtain advice about applicable risk periods.
An eligible person may apply for letters of administration. The estate is then distributed under Victorian intestacy law rather than personal wishes that were not recorded in a valid Will.
GENERAL CLIENT EXPERIENCE
COMPASSIONATE SUPPORT WHEN LEGAL ISSUES FEEL DIFFICULT.
★★★★★
“Ha Yeon is a very passionate lawyer that helped us resolving our legal issues swiftly without causing extra costs. She’s so easy to talk with and so compassionate for us.”
— Hugo T., Google review
SPEAK WITH A LAWYER
YOU DO NOT HAVE
TO NAVIGATE THE ESTATE ALONE.
Tell us whether there is a Will, whether you are the executor or next of kin, and what documents are currently available. We will explain the next step.