Before we share some very useful West Chester, Ohio probate resources, we should provide an explanation of what probate is all about. If you were to use a last will as the centerpiece of your estate plan, you would name an executor. This is the person that would administer the estate after you pass away.
The executor would not have the power to distribute assets without going through a defined legal process. Under the laws of the state of Ohio, the executor would be required to admit the will to probate, and the court would provide supervision during the administration process. There are however a couple of caveats to this statement.
If the estate is worth less than $5000, no probate is necessary. There is also a simplified probate process that is available if the surviving spouse is going to inherit all of the probate property and the value of the estate is $100,000 or less. This simplified process can be used if the inheritor is not a surviving spouse and the value of the estate is no more than $35,000.
During probate, the executor must prove that the last will is valid. Assets must be gathered and inventoried, and when necessary, property must be appraised. Final debts must be paid during probate, including taxes. Finally, after the estate has been closed by the court, the executor distributes assets to the inheritors in accordance with the wishes of the testator as stated in the last will.
The probate court would be called upon to supervise the administration of the estate if there was no last will it all. This is the condition of intestacy. Under these circumstances, a personal representative would be appointed to administer the estate, and ultimately, the assets would be distributed under the intestate succession laws of the state of Ohio.
Sadly, in some cases, an adult will become unable to make sound decisions due to incapacity. A conservatorship proceeding can be initiated as a response. The court could appoint a conservator to act as a representative, and this is another matter that falls under the purview of the probate court.
Butler County Probate Court
The Butler County Probate Court is in charge of probate matters for residents of West Chester, Ohio. It is located in the Butler County Courthouse at 101 High Street in Hamilton. The court is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The phone number is 513-887-3294.
West Chester, OH Probate Checklist
We go the extra mile to provide a wide array of different resources on our website. When it comes to probate, we have developed a checklist that you can use to gain a thorough understanding of the administrative steps that must be taken after a loved one passes away.
There is no charge to access this valuable probate resource, so you have everything to gain and nothing to lose if you take a moment to visit our probate checklist page.
Free Seminars
Our estate planning attorneys hold very informative seminars on an ongoing basis. They cover a wide range of different estate planning and elder law topics, including the intricacies of probate. This is another free opportunity, and we urge you to attend the session that fits into your schedule.
Though the sessions are offered on a complimentary basis, we do ask that you register in advance, because space is limited. You can get all the details if you visit our seminar page and click on the date that works for you.
Schedule an Estate Planning Consultation!
All of the resources that we have on this website are very useful, but there is no substitute for a one-on-one conversation with a licensed estate planning attorney. We are here to help if you would like to put a solid plan in place, or if you need to update your existing estate plan.
You can send us a message through our contact page to request a consultation appointment, and we can be reached by phone at 513.721.1513.