If your parent has recently passed away, there is a chance that you are going to need to work with a probate attorney. After all, one of these attorneys can help you with handling your loved one's estate. If you need a little bit of help with working with a probate attorney after your loved one's passing — such as if you have never had to handle someone's estate and if you have never worked with a probate attorney before — then you will probably want to check out the advice listed below.

Work With Your Parent's Lawyer

There is a good chance that your parent worked with a probate attorney before passing away. The attorney who drew up your loved one's will or helped with setting up their trusts might provide probate services as well. By working with your parent's attorney, you can work with someone who is already more familiar with the situation. This can make things easier. Plus, you can ensure that you are working with an attorney who your parent liked and trusted, which might provide you with a little bit of peace of mind while you're dealing with your loved one's estate.

Bring as Much Information as You Can

In order to handle your loved one's estate properly, the probate attorney is going to need to have as much information as possible. These are some of the things that you should bring along:

• A copy of your parent's will
• Copies of your loved one's final bills, such as medical bills or funeral bills
• Policy documents from your loved one's life insurance policy
• Your loved one's most recent tax returns
• Your loved one's bank statements

Of course, if you have any additional documentation that you think the probate attorney might find to be handy, then you will probably want to bring it along to the meeting. The attorney should let you know if they need additional documentation or paperwork.

Stay in Regular Contact

It is easy to get busy with funeral planning and other matters when you are dealing with a parent's death. However, you should check in with the probate attorney regularly, or respond when they call or email you. Then, you can make sure that you are taking any steps that you are required to take to handle your loved one's estate, and you can stay informed about everything that is going on in the process.