Estate and Trust Administration

Families who have lost a loved one can turn to our Waybridge team for compassionate guidance through the administration process. When a loved one passes away, families are often left unsure and confused about what to do next. Our Waybridge team is here to help you navigate the estate administration process. We will work with you to determine whether probate, trust administration, or some other method of asset transfer is required.  Then, we will guide you through the process with care and attention to your needs.

Our comprehensive estate and trust administration practice includes the following areas:

Probate (formal and informal estate administration):  We represent personal representatives during formal and informal probate proceedings in all Minnesota district courts.  Probate is the process of seeking court approval to transfer ownership of a deceased person’s assets to the appropriate beneficiaries or heirs. A probate proceeding is required only when the deceased person owned “probate assets” at the time of death.  Probate assets are assets owned outright by a person that do not have a designated beneficiary named to inherit the assets. The probate process involves identifying or selecting the appropriate representative to administer the estate, inventorying all of the deceased person’s assets and liabilities, identifying and locating all rightful beneficiaries and/or heirs, preparing accountings, paying applicable debts and taxes, and distributing remaining assets to the rightful beneficiaries or heirs.

Trust Administration (supervised and unsupervised):  We provide guidance and counsel to trustees to promote effective trust administration and compliance with trust terms and statutory fiduciary responsibilities. We also advise trust beneficiaries who have questions or concerns about their rights and responsibilities as interested parties to a trust.

Will and Trust Dispute Resolution and Mediation:  Unfortunately, sometimes the death of a loved one triggers conflict among those entitled to inherit the loved one’s property. We work with disputing family members to attempt to reach a quick and efficient resolution to the conflict. Our goal is to preserve estate assets, and just as importantly, family relationships.