Minnesota Probate and Estate Administration

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Minnesota Probate ● Estate Administration ● Probate Litigation

Estate Administration for Disabled Persons Did you know that the process of estate administration must also be performed when a person becomes unable to manage his or her affairs due to illness or disability? Attorney Jonathan Burris has considerable experience representing disabled persons, their guardians or conservators, and executors in administering these estates.

"Probate" is the legal process of wrapping up the estate of a person who has died. Whether they had a legal will or not (if not, they died "intestate"), the estate will need to be probated to ensure that creditors are paid and that beneficiaries inherit what they are entitled to.

If you are involved in probating a Minnesota estate—whether you live in Minnesota or are handling the process from out of state—we can help.

We invite you to contact our Minneapolis law office to schedule a free initial consultation to learn more about our probate, estate, and trust administration services.

For more than 25 years, Minneapolis probate lawyer Jonathan Burris has been helping families honor the wishes of their loved ones by providing legal guidance through the probate process. We represent clients in the Twin Cities and throughout the state of Minnesota, as well as clients who live in other states who need to probate an estate in Minnesota.

We offer experienced advice and counsel for people who have been named executors or estate administrators. We also represent executors and administrators in probate, and litigate probate disputes.

Minnesota Probate Services

One of the great values of having an estate plan in place is that it makes the process of probate much easier and less likely to result in family conflict. We can assist you with as much or as little of the process as you desire: from legal advice and supervision to hands-on management of the estate and distribution of property.

The process of Minnesota probate depends on the nature of the estate, and may include some or all of the following:

• Filing the most recent will with the court and proving it is legally valid
• If no legal will exists, identifying the heirs under Minnesota law
• Identifying beneficiaries or locating beneficiaries named in a will or trust
• Inventorying the assets of the estate and appraising their value
• Paying debts owed by the deceased person and their estate
• Collecting money owed to the estate
• Distributing property as directed by the will or other documents
• Paying state and/or federal estate taxes, as necessary
• Continuing the operation of a business after a key person has died, and managing business assets owned by the estate

Estate Administration and Trust Settlement in Minnesota

If the deceased person had moved all of his or her assets into a trust, then the trust must be put into action in a process called "trust settlement," and managed long term during "estate administration." Probating an estate is also referred to as "estate administration."

Probate Litigation in Minnesota Courts

The division of property in probate, or the distribution of assets or management of a trust, does not always go smoothly. Sometimes, family members have reason to believe that undue influence was exerted when their loved one wrote or changed their will. Most often, however, probate and trust disputes are related to perceived errors or mismanagement.

If you believe that errors were made during probate, such as presenting the wrong or an invalid will, mis-valuation of assets, fraud, nonpayment of appropriate debts or over-payments, miscalculation during asset division, or other probate or trust administration errors, we can help you bring your complaint to court. If you are an executor ("personal representative"), administrator, or trustee who is accused of malfeasance or mismanagement, Attorney Burris is also available to help you resolve your dispute or to defend you in court.

Whether you have been named the executor of a Minnesota estate, are a trustee who needs advice, or are involved in a probate or trust dispute, please contact our law office in Minneapolis to schedule a free initial consultation. We look forward to serving you.

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Burris Law Offices,PLLC

701 Fourth Avenue South, Suite 500
Minneapolis, MN 55415-1810
Telephone: (612) 337-9576 ● Fax: (612) 588-6868
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Minneapolis attorney Jonathan Burris of Burris Law Offices, PLLC, has been providing estate planning, probate real estate , criminal defense, and services in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota since 1985. Our firm represents clients throughout the greater Twin Cities metro area and throughout the state, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Golden Valley, Burnsville, Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Anoka, Maplewood, Oakdale, Owatonna, Saint Cloud, Brainerd, and Wadena.

Hennepin County ● Ramsey County ● Anoka County ● Dakota County ● Washington County ● Scott County ● Carver County ● Steele County ● Blue Earth County ● Stearns County ● Isanti County ● Crow Wing County ● Aitkin County ● Mille Lacs County ● Todd County