Estate Administration in Northern Virginia and Maryland
You do not have to figure out an estate on your own.
Settling a loved one’s affairs after a death can feel overwhelming during an already difficult time.
We guide executors, trustees, and families through estate administration with compassion, efficiency, and clear direction — so you are never left wondering what comes next.
Where Most People Start
You may want to call us if…
If any of these sound familiar, you are in the right place. You do not need to work out which one applies before you get in touch — that is part of what we do together.
- A parent, spouse, or other loved one has recently died
- You have been named an executor or a successor trustee
- You have found a will or a trust and are not sure what to do with it
- You are not sure whether probate is necessary
- Banks or other institutions are asking for documents you do not have
- You are worried about missing a deadline or doing something incorrectly
- Family members are asking when they will receive their inheritance
- You simply do not know what you are supposed to do first
Your First Step
Every matter starts with a Guidance Session.
A forty-five minute working session with an estate administration attorney, focused entirely on your situation.
We review the estate documents and the assets as they are currently known, determine what kind of administration is likely required, identify who has authority to act, flag anything urgent, and give you a clear roadmap for what needs to happen next.
This is a substantive legal consultation, not a sales call. You will leave with guidance you can use whether or not you go on to work with us.
By the end of the session you will understand
- What kind of estate administration is likely required
- Who has legal authority to act
- What needs attention first
- Which deadlines and risks apply to your situation
- What you can handle yourself, and where legal help is worth it
- What your options are if you would like Mathews Law to assist
$500 flat fee · 45 minutes · In person or on Zoom
Payment is required when you schedule.
Which Path Applies
Not every estate follows the same process.
Depending on how your loved one’s assets were owned and how their plan was structured, you may be dealing with probate, trust administration, a simplified procedure — or some combination of the three. Working out which one applies is among the first things the Guidance Session settles.
Probate administration
The court-supervised process for assets that must pass through the decedent’s probate estate. Whether probate is required depends on how the assets were owned and whether beneficiary or other transfer arrangements were already in place.
Trust administration
Usually happens outside of court when a loved one created a trust. Outside of court does not mean simple.
Small estate procedures
Not every estate needs full probate. Where state law allows a streamlined route, we help you determine whether it applies.
Once We Know Which Path Applies
How we help from there.
If you are an executor or personal representative
We assist with:
- Opening and closing the probate estate
- Preparing and filing required court documents
- Identifying and valuing estate assets
- Coordinating payment of debts and expenses
- Guiding distributions to beneficiaries
- Meeting deadlines and court requirements
If you are a successor trustee
We assist with:
- Interpreting and carrying out the trust terms
- Identifying and retitling trust assets
- Coordinating tax reporting and required notices
- Managing distributions to beneficiaries
- Meeting your fiduciary duties
If you would like our help after the Guidance Session
Some clients need only the roadmap and take it from there. Others would rather we carry the administration from beginning to end. If ongoing support would help, we will explain the scope of the work, what Mathews Law would handle, what we would need from you, and the anticipated legal fees — all before you decide whether to engage us.
Who We Help
Whoever has been handed the responsibility.
- Executors and personal representatives
- Trustees and successor trustees
- Family members working out what happens next
- Anyone administering an estate for the first time
Many of our estate administration clients are also estate planning clients — but we are equally glad to help families coming to us for the first time. If you would like a plan of your own, see Estate Planning.
Our estate administration practice focuses on uncontested matters. We do not handle estate or trust litigation, or disputes among beneficiaries.
“Excellent service from a highly competent and experienced attorney and her team. Walked me through the entire process step by step, answered all of my questions in detail. Gave me peace of mind too!”
Why Clients Choose Us
A boutique estate firm, not a general practice.
Estate law is what we do
Mathews Law focuses on estate planning and estate administration. Because we design estate plans as well as administer them after a death, we understand both sides — and we handle court-supervised probate and out-of-court trust administration alike.
Plain English, always
We explain the process, the deadlines, and your duties in language you can act on.
Personal attention
No high-volume, assembly-line administration. You will know who is handling your matter.
You do not need to know what needs to happen before you call.
If you have been named an executor or trustee, or you are unsure what to do after a loved one’s death, start with the Guidance Session. You will leave knowing where you stand and what comes next.
Schedule Your Guidance Session$500 · 45 minutes · In person or on Zoom