Trust Administration
Burnham Legal, PLLC will assist Trustees and Beneficiaries through the process of administering a trust. There are many different reasons why a Grantor may create a trust. Depending on the purpose of the trust, there can be short-term or long-term administration needs. Burnham Legal can provide you with guidance and legal requirements, and preparation of the necessary documents to assist you through either short-term administration and distribution of the assets of the trust, or long-term administration with continuing annual reports to protect the Trustee and Beneficiary and keep them informed.
Probate Estate Administration
Burnham Legal, PLLC will work with you and your family through the steps of probate court and estate administration.
A Last Will & Testament is just paper, without any power, until it is filed with the Probate Court and accepted by the Probate Court Judge as the official Last Will & Testament of the person who passed away. When a Last Will & Testament is filed with the Probate Court, the Probate Court Judge will review the document for legality and make the decision to appoint the Executor. It is the job of the Executor, once appointed, to gather and safeguard all of the assets of the person who passed away. They are also responsible for determine the creditors of the estate, paying the bills of the Testator from the assets in the estate, and then accounting for all of the assets and payment of bills to the court. We can assist you through the stressful and emotional probate court process of transferring assets to the rightful heirs of a Last Will & Testament, or assist you through administering an estate that may not have a Last Will & Testament and instead will be following the New Hampshire Intestacy Laws. We can explain your options throughout the process so that you will have the information you need to choose how to best administer the estate. We can advise you on the steps of probate, assist you with the forms and documents that need to be filed in the probate court and when to file them, and work with you to make sure that all of the loose ends of the probate estate are tied up.
We will explain the probate process, assist you in as much or as little as you need, discuss the likely outcomes and work with you to seek results that honor the wishes and dignity of the person who passed away.
