Excessive Legal and Administrative Fees from Repeated Probate Filings

$1,000-$3,000 in operational recovery (trust operations analyst troubleshooting + court administrative time to reissue orders) • $1,000-$3,000 per distribution delay (beneficiary relationship damage; potential interest penalties if distributions trigger amended tax filings) • $1,000-$4,000 indirect loss per estate (delays reduce investment returns on estate assets during probate; additional accounting fees if beneficiaries hire auditors)

Accountant manually compiles accounting statement in Word/Excel and emails to beneficiaries; beneficiaries screenshot or print for their records; follow-up phone calls to clarify unclear line items; some beneficiaries hire separate accountants to audit the accounting • Attorney manually reviews client's asset inventory spreadsheet; prepares memo listing gaps (missing POD/TOD designations, improperly titled property); discusses options via phone/email; documents recommendations in memo • Attorney manually reviews prior will against probate filing requirements; identifies ambiguities through document comparison; prepares clarification memo; coordinates with paralegal to file amendment; tracks correspondence in case file folder