Settling the final affairs of a recently deceased person can be complicated. While estate planning documents can certainly help probate go more smoothly, issues with those documents or unexpected outcomes could cause confusion. In some cases, if the issues cause considerable concern, the legal proceedings could be delayed as conflicts are handled.
Texas residents may face complications during probate proceedings if a loved one’s assets were not titled properly. Some parties may think that efforts were made to title assets in a way to avoid probate, but they may later find out that certain property is still in the name of the deceased. This could happen if the person had financial advisors or the help of other professionals who did not fully understand how to make accounts coincide with estate plans.
This type of scenario is not uncommon because many financial professionals do lack legal knowledge relating to estate plans. As a result, accounts could be opened or property titled in ways that disrupt an already established estate plan, and no one would know until it was time to settle the estate. Unfortunately, the estate executor or another party would likely be left to untangle the resulting complications.
While a perfect estate plan would be a best-case scenario, that is not always what is left behind. If Texas residents trying to settle their loved ones’ estates run into difficulties during probate, it can easily become overwhelming. Fortunately, executors and other parties can obtain the assistance of legal professionals who could help throughout the legal proceedings.