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By: Scott Grossman on September 15th, 2016

Hire a CPA when Administering an Estate: 6 Reasons You Should

 The following are six important reasons why you should hire a CPA when administering an estate:

  1. Estates and trusts have many different tax obligations. Failing to fulfill these obligations could result in costly fees and penalties.
  2. Rules surrounding income for trusts and estates are highly complex. Most individuals not experienced in this field will struggle to handle these issues properly.
  3. Determining the value of assets of the trust or estate is one crucial concern when it comes to taxes. These valuations can be impacted by complicated tax-related rules and should be handled by someone well versed in these matters.
  4. Personal representatives or trustees may be accused of wrongdoing if they miss tax-filing deadlines or fail to pay taxes owed. Working with a CPA will reduce the likelihood of this occurring.
  5. There may be discounts, credits, or deductions that can be applied to save the trust or estate a significant amount of money. These reductions may be unfamiliar to someone new to the complicated trust and estate tax laws. And this may result in missed opportunities.
  6. If questions are raised by the IRS about specific estate or trust tax matters, your CPA can work directly with the agent involved. Your CPA will also be familiar with how best to handle the issue to maximize the chances for a positive resolution.
Unfortunately for taxpayers, our obligations to the IRS simply do not end after we pass away. Trusts and estates are responsible for their unique tax obligations.

For an individual in charge of administering an estate, a tax advisor is a vital asset that can significantly benefit the personal representative during the administration process. This tax advisor may be a certified public accountant. That specializes in or is experienced with handling trust and estate tax matters. Further, the estate or trust will be responsible for paying the CPA’s fees for his services. This cost is often greatly outweighed by the significant benefit of hiring a CPA when Administering an Estate.

If you are ready to start your case, then please give us a call or fill out our Get Help Now form. A comprehensive overview of California Probate is available here. You will find plenty of helpful information in our Learning Center if you have additional questions about trust litigation.