How Long Does the Probate Process Usually Take?
The probate process in Massachusetts generally takes between nine months and a year to complete, though certain estates can take longer depending on their size and complexity. The process involves validating the will, identifying heirs, paying debts and taxes, and distributing assets according to state law. Several factors, including court schedules, disputes...
How Massachusetts Probate Law Impacts the Sale of a Decedent’s Real Estate
Selling real estate after the death of a loved one can be a complex process, especially in Massachusetts, where probate law plays a central role. For residents of Westport and surrounding areas, understanding how probate law affects the sale of a decedent’s property is essential for ensuring a smooth transaction and avoiding...
How to Sell Real Estate in a Probate Estate
Selling real estate during probate can be one of the most complicated aspects of managing a deceased loved one’s estate. In Massachusetts, including Westport, the process involves multiple legal steps, court oversight, and careful attention to fiduciary duties. At The Law Offices of Patricia Bloom-McDonald, we help personal representatives and families...
How Do You Manage Debts and Expenses in Probate?
Picture this: A kitchen table covered with important papers to review after a loved one's passing. For many who step into the role of executor, this moment marks the beginning of an important responsibility—one where knowledge and guidance can make all the difference. While questions about credit card bills, mortgages, and medical...
MassHealth and Probate Estate Recovery
The Federal government mandates that if you receive Medicaid benefits after age 55, or if Medicaid pays for nursing home care for you at any time during your life, Medicaid/MassHealth must attempt to recover the cost of benefits paid on your behalf from your estate at your death. In Massachusetts, MassHealth can...
Myths and Facts About Probate
I just need a Will and a Living Will. This will avoid “probate” and allow someone to make medical decisions for me if I cannot express myself.
Not true. A Last Will and Testament is a “road map” that expresses how someone wants their estate (financial and...
Why Should People Wish to Avoid Probate?
Probate is the legal process of transferring property and distributing assets through the court system after a person’s death. Often times, the probate process also involves the proving of a legitimate Last Will and Testament, the payment of any creditors, the filing of the deceased’s taxes, and the changing of ownership...
Selling a Home in Probate What You Need to Know
Probate proceedings in Massachusetts are governed by the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code or MUPC. If there is real estate in the decedent’s estate, the Will may have designated that the property go to a certain heir or other beneficiary, or that the property be sold and the assets distributed equally or...