A father, mother, and child are walking through a sunny field with bicycles. This symbolizes estate planning.

PROBATE & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION

PROBATE & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION 

Probate and Estate Administration

We guide you through the appointed tasks of settling the estate of a loved one. We can assist you in administrative duties or handle the entire probate process, depending on your needs and circumstances.

We provide probate, estate and trust administration services to clients throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Prince William County, and represent any party involved in probate litigation.

Probate and Estate Administration

Probate can be daunting for the unprepared. The will and an accurate inventory of assets must be presented to the probate court. Creditors must be paid, sometimes by liquidating assets. There may be property held in other states that must be handled. The remainder of the estate is distributed to heirs, and then tax returns are filed and a final accounting submitted to the probate court.

Depending on the complexity of the estate and your level of comfort, we can:

  • Administer the entire estate on behalf of the executor/personal representative, or
  • Assist on a consulting basis, providing counsel and legal guidance as you work through the list of duties

Please note: Virginia State law requires that out-of-state executors work with a resident agent to settle a Virginia estate. We routinely assist appointees throughout the U.S.

Will Contests and Probate Litigation

The absence of a will leads to many disputes over the intended wishes of the deceased. However, the presence of a will does not necessarily settle those issues. We represent beneficiaries, excluded heirs, personal representatives or the estate in resolving or litigating probate disputes, including:

  • Will contests alleging mental incompetence or undue influence
  • Disposition of assets, such as inherited property shared by several beneficiaries
  • Allegations of misappropriated assets or breach of fiduciary duty

Connect

When you’re ready to call, we’re ready to help. Call us at 703-836-9030, or contact us here

Wills, Trusts & Estates Attorneys

CONTACT A WILLS, TRUSTS & ESTATES ATTORNEY

*The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.

eyJpZCI6IjM3IiwibGFiZWwiOiJQcm9iYXRlICYgRXN0YXRlIEFkbWluaXN0cmF0aW9uIiwiYWN0aXZlIjoiMSIsIm9yaWdpbmFsX2lkIjoiMSIsInVuaXF1ZV9pZCI6IndlZmoyIiwicGFyYW1zIjp7InRwbCI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6IjEwMCIsIndpZHRoX21lYXN1cmUiOiIlIiwiYmdfdHlwZV8wIjoibm9uZSIsImJnX2ltZ18wIjoiIiwiYmdfY29sb3JfMCI6IiMwMDMzN2YiLCJiZ190eXBlXzEiOiJjb2xvciIsImJnX2ltZ18xIjoiIiwiYmdfY29sb3JfMSI6IiM1ZTVlNWUiLCJiZ190eXBlXzIiOiJjb2xvciIsImJnX2ltZ18yIjoiIiwiYmdfY29sb3JfMiI6IiMzMzMzMzMiLCJiZ190eXBlXzMiOiJjb2xvciIsImJnX2ltZ18zIjoiIiwiYmdfY29sb3JfMyI6IiMzMzMzMzMiLCJmaWVsZF9lcnJvcl9pbnZhbGlkIjoiIiwiZm9ybV9zZW50X21zZyI6IlRoYW5rIHlvdSBmb3IgY29udGFjdGluZyB1cyEiLCJmb3JtX3NlbnRfbXNnX2NvbG9yIjoiIzRhZThlYSIsImhpZGVfb25fc3VibWl0IjoiMSIsInJlZGlyZWN0X29uX3N1Ym1pdCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cub2xkdG93bmxhd3llcnMuY29tXC9zdWJtaXNzaW9uXC8iLCJyZWRpcmVjdF9vbl9zdWJtaXRfbmV3X3duZCI6IjEiLCJ0ZXN0X2VtYWlsIjoiSmFtZXNAaGlnaGxhbmQuZGVzaWduIiwic2F2ZV9jb250YWN0cyI6IjEiLCJleHBfZGVsaW0iOiI7IiwiZmJfY29udmVydF9iYXNlIjoiIiwicHViX3Bvc3RfdHlwZSI6InBvc3QiLCJwdWJfcG9zdF9zdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaXNoIiwicmVnX3dwX2NyZWF0ZV91c2VyX3JvbGUiOiJzdWJzY3JpYmVyIiwiZmllbGRfd3JhcHBlciI6IjxkaXYgW2ZpZWxkX3NoZWxsX2NsYXNzZXNdIFtmaWVsZF9zaGVsbF9zdHlsZXNdPltmaWVsZF08XC9kaXY+In0sImZpZWxkcyI6W3sibGFiZWwiOiIiLCJwbGFjZWhvbGRlciI6IkZpcnN0IE5hbWUiLCJodG1sIjoidGV4dCIsInZhbHVlIjoiIiwibWFuZGF0b3J5IjoiMSIsIm5hbWUiOiJmaXJzdF9uYW1lIiwiYnNfY2xhc3NfaWQiOiI2IiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiIsIm1pbl9zaXplIjoiIiwibWF4X3NpemUiOiIiLCJhZGRfY2xhc3NlcyI6IiIsImFkZF9zdHlsZXMiOiJiYWNrZ3JvdW5kLWNvbG9yOiByZ2JhKDI1NSwgMjU1LCAyNTUsIDAuNDgpOyIsImFkZF9hdHRyIjoiIiwidm5fb25seV9udW1iZXIiOiIwIiwidm5fb25seV9sZXR0ZXJzIjoiMCIsInZuX3BhdHRlcm4iOiIwIiwidmFsdWVfcHJlc2V0IjoiIiwiZGVmX2NoZWNrZWQiOiIwIiwibGFiZWxfZGVsaW0iOiIiLCJ2bl9lcXVhbCI6IiIsImljb25fY2xhc3MiOiIiLCJpY29uX3NpemUiOiIiLCJpY29uX2NvbG9yIjoiIiwiaWNvbl9zZWxlY3RlZF9jb2xvciI6IiIsInJhdGVfbnVtIjoiIiwidGltZV9mb3JtYXQiOiJhbV9wbSJ9LHsibGFiZWwiOiIiLCJwbGFjZWhvbGRlciI6Ikxhc3QgTmFtZSIsImh0bWwiOiJ0ZXh0IiwidmFsdWUiOiIiLCJtYW5kYXRvcnkiOiIwIiwibmFtZSI6Imxhc3RfbmFtZSIsImJzX2NsYXNzX2lkIjoiNiIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIiLCJtaW5fc2l6ZSI6IiIsIm1heF9zaXplIjoiIiwiYWRkX2NsYXNzZXMiOiIiLCJhZGRfc3R5bGVzIjoiYmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvcjogcmdiYSgyNTUsIDI1NSwgMjU1LCAwLjQ4KTsiLCJhZGRfYXR0ciI6IiIsInZuX29ubHlfbnVtYmVyIjoiMCIsInZuX29ubHlfbGV0dGVycyI6IjAiLCJ2bl9wYXR0ZXJuIjoiMCIsInZhbHVlX3ByZXNldCI6IiIsImRlZl9jaGVja2VkIjoiMCIsImxhYmVsX2RlbGltIjoiIiwidm5fZXF1YWwiOiIiLCJpY29uX2NsYXNzIjoiIiwiaWNvbl9zaXplIjoiIiwiaWNvbl9jb2xvciI6IiIsImljb25fc2VsZWN0ZWRfY29sb3IiOiIiLCJyYXRlX251bSI6IiIsInRpbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiYW1fcG0ifSx7ImxhYmVsIjoiIiwicGxhY2Vob2xkZXIiOiJFbWFpbCIsImh0bWwiOiJlbWFpbCIsInZhbHVlIjoiIiwibWFuZGF0b3J5IjoiMSIsIm5hbWUiOiJlbWFpbCIsImJzX2NsYXNzX2lkIjoiMTIiLCJkaXNwbGF5Ijoicm93IiwibWluX3NpemUiOiIiLCJtYXhfc2l6ZSI6IiIsImFkZF9jbGFzc2VzIjoiIiwiYWRkX3N0eWxlcyI6ImJhY2tncm91bmQtY29sb3I6IHJnYmEoMjU1LCAyNTUsIDI1NSwgMC40OCk7IiwiYWRkX2F0dHIiOiIiLCJ2bl9vbmx5X251bWJlciI6IjAiLCJ2bl9vbmx5X2xldHRlcnMiOiIwIiwidm5fcGF0dGVybiI6IjAiLCJ2YWx1ZV9wcmVzZXQiOiIiLCJkZWZfY2hlY2tlZCI6IjAiLCJsYWJlbF9kZWxpbSI6IiIsInZuX2VxdWFsIjoiIiwiaWNvbl9jbGFzcyI6IiIsImljb25fc2l6ZSI6IiIsImljb25fY29sb3IiOiIiLCJpY29uX3NlbGVjdGVkX2NvbG9yIjoiIiwicmF0ZV9udW0iOiIiLCJ0aW1lX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImFtX3BtIn0seyJsYWJlbCI6IiIsInBsYWNlaG9sZGVyIjoibWVzc2FnZSIsImh0bWwiOiJ0ZXh0YXJlYSIsInZhbHVlIjoiIiwibWFuZGF0b3J5IjoiMSIsIm5hbWUiOiJtZXNzYWdlIiwiYnNfY2xhc3NfaWQiOiIxMiIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiJyb3ciLCJtaW5fc2l6ZSI6IiIsIm1heF9zaXplIjoiIiwiYWRkX2NsYXNzZXMiOiIiLCJhZGRfc3R5bGVzIjoiYmFja2dyb3VuZC1jb2xvcjogcmdiYSgyNTUsIDI1NSwgMjU1LCAwLjQ4KTsiLCJhZGRfYXR0ciI6IiIsInZuX29ubHlfbnVtYmVyIjoiMCIsInZuX29ubHlfbGV0dGVycyI6IjAiLCJ2bl9wYXR0ZXJuIjoiMCIsInZhbHVlX3ByZXNldCI6IiIsImRlZl9jaGVja2VkIjoiMCIsImxhYmVsX2RlbGltIjoiIiwidm5fZXF1YWwiOiIiLCJpY29uX2NsYXNzIjoiIiwiaWNvbl9zaXplIjoiIiwiaWNvbl9jb2xvciI6IiIsImljb25fc2VsZWN0ZWRfY29sb3IiOiIiLCJyYXRlX251bSI6IiIsInRpbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiYW1fcG0ifSx7ImxhYmVsIjoiIiwicGxhY2Vob2xkZXIiOiIiLCJodG1sIjoiaHRtbGRlbGltIiwidmFsdWUiOiI8cCBzdHlsZT1cImNvbG9yOiB3aGl0ZTsgdGV4dC1hbGlnbjogY2VudGVyO1wiPipUaGUgdXNlIG9mIHRoZSBJbnRlcm5ldCBvciB0aGlzIGZvcm0gZm9yIGNvbW11bmljYXRpb24gd2l0aCB0aGUgZmlybSBvciBhbnkgaW5kaXZpZHVhbCBtZW1iZXIgb2YgdGhlIGZpcm0gZG9lcyBub3QgZXN0YWJsaXNoIGFuIGF0dG9ybmV5LWNsaWVudCByZWxhdGlvbnNoaXAuIENvbmZpZGVudGlhbCBvciB0aW1lLXNlbnNpdGl2ZSBpbmZvcm1hdGlvbiBzaG91bGQgbm90IGJlIHNlbnQgdGhyb3VnaCB0aGlzIGZvcm0uPFwvcD4iLCJtYW5kYXRvcnkiOiIwIiwibmFtZSI6IiIsImJzX2NsYXNzX2lkIjoiMTIiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIiwibWluX3NpemUiOiIiLCJtYXhfc2l6ZSI6IiIsImFkZF9jbGFzc2VzIjoiIiwiYWRkX3N0eWxlcyI6IiIsImFkZF9hdHRyIjoiIiwidm5fb25seV9udW1iZXIiOiIwIiwidm5fb25seV9sZXR0ZXJzIjoiMCIsInZuX3BhdHRlcm4iOiIiLCJkZWZfY2hlY2tlZCI6IjAifSx7ImxhYmVsIjoiIiwicGxhY2Vob2xkZXIiOiIiLCJodG1sIjoiaHRtbGRlbGltIiwidmFsdWUiOiIiLCJtYW5kYXRvcnkiOiIwIiwibmFtZSI6IiIsImJzX2NsYXNzX2lkIjoiNCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIiLCJtaW5fc2l6ZSI6IiIsIm1heF9zaXplIjoiIiwiYWRkX2NsYXNzZXMiOiIiLCJhZGRfc3R5bGVzIjoiIiwiYWRkX2F0dHIiOiIiLCJ2bl9vbmx5X251bWJlciI6IjAiLCJ2bl9vbmx5X2xldHRlcnMiOiIwIiwidm5fcGF0dGVybiI6IiIsImRlZl9jaGVja2VkIjoiMCJ9LHsibGFiZWwiOiJDYXB0Y2hhIiwicGxhY2Vob2xkZXIiOiIiLCJodG1sIjoicmVjYXB0Y2hhIiwidmFsdWUiOiIiLCJtYW5kYXRvcnkiOiIwIiwibmFtZSI6ImNhcHRjaGEiLCJic19jbGFzc19pZCI6IjQiLCJkaXNwbGF5Ijoicm93IiwibWluX3NpemUiOiIiLCJtYXhfc2l6ZSI6IiIsImFkZF9jbGFzc2VzIjoiIiwiYWRkX3N0eWxlcyI6IiIsImFkZF9hdHRyIjoiIiwidm5fb25seV9udW1iZXIiOiIwIiwidm5fb25seV9sZXR0ZXJzIjoiMCIsInZuX3BhdHRlcm4iOiIiLCJ2YWx1ZV9wcmVzZXQiOiIiLCJkZWZfY2hlY2tlZCI6IjAiLCJsYWJlbF9kZWxpbSI6IiIsInZuX2VxdWFsIjoiIiwiaWNvbl9jbGFzcyI6IiIsImljb25fc2l6ZSI6IiIsImljb25fY29sb3IiOiIiLCJpY29uX3NlbGVjdGVkX2NvbG9yIjoiIiwicmF0ZV9udW0iOiIiLCJ0aW1lX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImFtX3BtIiwicmVjYXAtdGhlbWUiOiJkYXJrIiwicmVjYXAtdHlwZSI6ImltYWdlIiwicmVjYXAtc2l6ZSI6Im5vcm1hbCJ9LHsibGFiZWwiOiIiLCJwbGFjZWhvbGRlciI6IiIsImh0bWwiOiJodG1sZGVsaW0iLCJ2YWx1ZSI6IiIsIm1hbmRhdG9yeSI6IjAiLCJuYW1lIjoiIiwiYnNfY2xhc3NfaWQiOiI0IiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiIsIm1pbl9zaXplIjoiIiwibWF4X3NpemUiOiIiLCJhZGRfY2xhc3NlcyI6IiIsImFkZF9zdHlsZXMiOiIiLCJhZGRfYXR0ciI6IiIsInZuX29ubHlfbnVtYmVyIjoiMCIsInZuX29ubHlfbGV0dGVycyI6IjAiLCJ2bl9wYXR0ZXJuIjoiIiwiZGVmX2NoZWNrZWQiOiIwIn0seyJsYWJlbCI6IlNlbmQiLCJwbGFjZWhvbGRlciI6IiIsImh0bWwiOiJzdWJtaXQiLCJ2YWx1ZSI6IiIsIm1hbmRhdG9yeSI6IjAiLCJuYW1lIjoic2VuZCIsImJzX2NsYXNzX2lkIjoiMTIiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIiwibWluX3NpemUiOiIiLCJtYXhfc2l6ZSI6IiIsImFkZF9jbGFzc2VzIjoiIiwiYWRkX3N0eWxlcyI6IiIsImFkZF9hdHRyIjoiIiwidm5fb25seV9udW1iZXIiOiIwIiwidm5fb25seV9sZXR0ZXJzIjoiMCIsInZuX3BhdHRlcm4iOiIwIiwiZGVmX2NoZWNrZWQiOiIwIn1dLCJvcHRzX2F0dHJzIjp7ImJnX251bWJlciI6IjQifX0sImltZ19wcmV2aWV3IjoiYmFzZS1jb250YWN0LmpwZyIsInZpZXdzIjoiMjczNSIsInVuaXF1ZV92aWV3cyI6IjIxNjIiLCJhY3Rpb25zIjoiMTAiLCJzb3J0X29yZGVyIjoiMTAiLCJpc19wcm8iOiIwIiwiYWJfaWQiOiIwIiwiZGF0ZV9jcmVhdGVkIjoiMjAxNy0wNS0wMyAxNToyODoyMyIsImltZ19wcmV2aWV3X3VybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cub2xkdG93bmxhd3llcnMuY29tXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC9wbHVnaW5zXC9jb250YWN0LWZvcm0tYnktc3Vwc3lzdGljXC9hc3NldHNcL2Zvcm1zXC9pbWdcL3ByZXZpZXdcL2Jhc2UtY29udGFjdC5qcGciLCJ2aWV3X2lkIjoiMzdfOTYwMjgwIiwidmlld19odG1sX2lkIjoiY3NwRm9ybVNoZWxsXzM3Xzk2MDI4MCIsImNvbm5lY3RfaGFzaCI6ImU4MmI4NjhjYWUxMGUzY2I0Y2QzNjcyNDNlZTlkNGRlIn0=