Minnesota Probate Attorney Fees

What do probate attorneys in Minnesota cost?

Our office is often asked questions associated with how much a Minnesota probate costs and how much Minnesota probate lawyer will cost.

The answer is not always simple, however, it is true that Minnesota probates can be expensive.

There are different forms of probate, so the answer to that question is different depending on what form probate is needed. If a person has died but no probate is opened up for up to three years in Minnesota, a proceeding called a decree of descent will need to be administered. This proceeding is often less cumbersome than a formal probate; however, it can be similar in the legal requirements. In general, this process will cost less.

There’s also a Minnesota summary administration which is similar to a probate but less expensive because the only assets of the estate are exempt from creditor claims. A summary administration can be very effective to transfer title to real property cars up to $10,000 for dependent beneficiaries. This summary administration is not often available due to a number of factors common the most common of which I see is Minnesota care and other tax obligations of the deceased person.

A informal probate will also be less expensive than a formal probate in Minnesota. This is because informal probates are not supervised nearly as strictly as a formal probate would be by a particular county court. There’s often no hearing requirement in an informal probate and there’s very little supervision by the court which means less work for an attorney and less court costs. Informal probates are the most common forms of probates in the state of Minnesota as they are the most efficient and easy to deal with for court systems and all parties involved.

Finally, there is a formal probate proceeding which is the most expensive in terms of cost in court fees. Formal probate will often be necessary when there are conflicts among beneficiaries or there are particularly difficult questions of law associated with probate. Another reason for a formal probate could be that there are high assets or net worth of the estate and a Minnesota tax return will need to be filed. Another reason would be that there are lots of creditors or the estate is insolvent.

In conclusion, it is difficult to answer the question of how much a Minnesota probate costs. The attorney fees will likely go up depending on the nature of the case. It is very difficult to generalize about any persons particular case without reviewing all the facts in meeting with that person. That is why Flanders Law firm LLC offers free initial consultations to clients.

Free Initial Consultations

Contact the Flanders Law Firm today.  The firm offers free consultations to all potential clients. Call 612-424-0398.