Estate Administration Planning

Estate Administration Planning

William Hesch is an experienced Cincinnati estate planning attorney in the areas of probate, Cincinnati estate administration and trust administration. He is considered a leading Attorney in Cincinnati.  He practices in Northern Kentucky as well.

Probate Court and Probate Law

Bill Hesch and his staff are committed to supporting you as you mourn the loss of your loved one. We can arrange a meeting at your home or in our office to outline the process of opening the estate and settling its affairs. Since it can take a month or so to receive Letters of Authority to administer the Estate, it’s best to have this initial meeting sooner than later, especially if you need immediate access to funds.

The word “probate” is often synonymous with “hassles” in the popular imagination. But that doesn’t have to be the case. The job of the Cincinnati probate court is to make sure a decedent’s assets are transferred to the right people. This process is usually smooth, especially when your loved one had a solid estate plan with no significant assets to probate. We initially file paperwork to probate your will (if any) and to have a personal representative appointed to manage your estate, pay bills, and distribute assets. After that, we’ll support your personal representative as needed through the roughly one-year process of administering an estate.

NOTE: Surviving spouses are entitled to claim certain assets and an amount of the estate under state law. Also, challenges to a will’s validity must be filed within a certain period. If these issues are of concern to you, Bill Hesch can help you exercise your rights.

Estate Administration and Trust Administration

A trust is an entity managed by the people you trust for the benefit of the people you love. Proper administration of your trust ensures that your intentions and your beneficiaries are protected. The Trustee is required to make certain reports and accountings consistent with Ohio’s newly enacted Trust Code. Because this law applies to ALL Ohio Trusts no matter when they were created, it’s important to be fully aware of the Trustee’s duties.

Attorney Bill Hesch’s background as a former CPA auditor and Big 4 tax partner helps him guide trust administrators through legal, accounting, financial, and tax hurdles that may arise.