Bonnie Michael Legal Practice

Estate Administration Services

When a loved one passes away, it’s a time of grief and sorrow.  At this time, it is important to have an experienced attorney to guide you through the legal system.  Depending upon the assets of an estate, there are various methods to administer an estate including full estate administration, release from administration and summary administration.

Estate administration services include both probate and non-probate matters. Even if an estate has no probate assets, there may be other administration issues such as transferring title of vehicles, payment of debts, and proper distribution of assets – either directly to beneficiaries or through a trust. 

My Goal

Helping families navigate probate and estate administration with care, clarity, and cost-effective legal support.

My goal in estate administration is to complete the probate process in a timely manner by providing high quality legal services for a reasonable price.  I help clients in matters of estate administration, including guiding executors and beneficiaries through the complex probate process, handling estate taxes and transferring assets.

Under Ohio law, most probate estates must be closed within 6 months. Also, the average court costs for an Ohio probate estate, regardless of the size of the estate, average about $250 to $300. This is in addition to attorney fees.

The Ohio Supreme Court requires that payment of fees for probate estates not be made until the final account is prepared to file with the probate court.