Successions for Alexandria, Louisiana Families

Our office was contacted to assist with filing a succession for a family in Alexandria, Louisiana. They needed the help of a probate attorney in Alexandria, Louisiana. The daughter informed me that her father died a few years back and her mother more recently. She needed to sell the home. Her bank had told her that she needed to complete a succession for her father before she can sell the property. 

We didn’t have much time, but I met with the family and we worked out a plan to get the succession completed in the most time-efficient way possible with our limited time frame. 

I instructed the family to gather the paperwork they had and email as they found important documents that were needed for the succession. We discovered that her father owned much more property than they had originally known and the succession would take a little longer to complete. 

The father and mother did not have a last will and testament and the daughter was unsure of where the father’s property was located. Over time, we discovered bank accounts, investment brokerage accounts, vehicles and real estate. 

We created a plan to get the succession completed with the least amount of headache for the daughter and siblings. Here’s what we did: 

1. We gathered every stitch of mail and paperwork they could find relating to his property.
2. Drafted documents to have the daughter appointed as the Independent Administrator of the successions for both mom and dad. We had the court issue documents that would allow the daughter to handle succession issues. These documents are called, “Letters of Independent Administration.” If there had been a will, the documents would have been called, “Letters of Independent Executorship.”
3. The daughter was able to locate her father’s remaining accounts and property with our help. 
4. She was able to establish “Estate Of” accounts for both successions. She had this ability by her appointment of the court per the Letters of Independent Administration.
5. She was then able to sell the property which included real estate and deposit the proceeds into the Estate Account. 
6. Succession and estate expenses were then paid from the Estate Account. 
7. The Detailed Descriptive List was completed. This list includes all property owned by the deceased such as homes, vehicles, accounts and movable property. Real estate must have a legal description, vehicles need year, make model and VIN and bank accounts must be listed. Each item is then assigned an estimated value and all property is added up and the expenses are subtracted from this number. 
8. Lastly, we were able to obtain a Judgment of Possession for the client. The court reviews everything our office submits such as the Petition, Affidavits, Detailed Descriptive List and more to ensure everything is complete and ready to be signed. The judge then signs the “Judgment of Possession” and places each party into possession of the property. 
9. Since there were three children, each one received ⅓ of their parent’s estate. 

Successions are not the type of legal situation that you want to just try to “wing it.” This family contacted our office because they wanted a succession attorney in Alexandria, Louisiana that knew what they were doing to avoid any issues. Succession mistakes can be costly and may cause the succession to take even longer than normal. This is not something you want to try on your own or have an inexperienced attorney try to handle for you. 

This client was happy with our work and gave us a 5-Star review for being prompt, listening to their needs and finding creative solutions that they considered above and beyond what prior attorneys had done for them. 

How Much Do Successions Cost in Alexandria, Louisiana? 

Every situation is different and there are factors that determine the price of a succession. You can send us a quick message detailing your situation so that we can provide you with a quote. We only charge flat-rate fees on successions which lets you know exactly how much the work will cost. There are no hidden fees or surprises with flat-rate pricing for successions. 

Filing fees for successions are separate and go to the Clerk of Court for processing. You can pay this fee at a later date when the succession is ready to be filed. Each parish has different filing fees, but are in the same price range. 

How to Get Started: 

Just send us a message and tell us your situation. We will review your information and contact you with a plan. It’s that simple!

If you need help with a succession anywhere in Louisiana, I’m happy to help! The best way to reach us is via the website where you can send us your information and we will get back to you shortly with a plan to assist with your family member or loved one’s succession or you can call us at (318) 269-5857.