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Probate and Estate Administration

The firm’s probate and estate administration practice encompasses all aspects of administration of decedents’ and fiduciary estates.

The firm’s probate practice involves submitting wills to the court for probate or assisting the decedent’s family with alternative heirship proceedings when the decedent died without a will. Once the will is probated, or heirs are determined, the firm assists the family with administrative matters such as gathering, inventorying, and valuing assets in the estate, and preparing federal estate tax returns, state death tax returns, and state and federal gift or generation-skipping transfer tax returns. For clients who have just lost a loved one, estate administration can be a daunting task. The firm provides thoughtful, competent assistance in meeting court filing deadlines and federal and state tax filing deadlines. The firm’s estate administration practice involves advising executors and administrators on the legal and practical aspects of the administration of decedents’ estates. The firm also represents beneficiaries of estates in negotiating settlements of estates, protecting beneficiaries’ rights with regard to monitoring costs of administration, and advising in contested matters.

Other Estate-Related Services

In addition to handling probate and estate administration cases, Robert Vargo represents clients in a range of estate related matters, including:
  • Estate planning (wills, powers of attorney, living wills)
  • Real estate transactions
  • Guardianships
  • Breach of fiduciary duty litigation
  • Will contest litigation