Probate & Estate Translations:

Where Precision Meets Legal Expertise. LBTA excels in bridging the gap between the U.S. and German legal systems—navigating through the U.S.’s common law intricacies and the civil law clarity in Germany. Our insight into state-specific U.S. estate and probate laws and the uniformity of the German BGB, sets our translations apart. We ensure that every document reflects the particularities of U.S. common law and the comprehensive statutes of the German BGB. Our Quick Reference System ensures each document upholds the original legal intent, catering to the distinct probate procedures and documentation in both jurisdictions.

Specialized Translation for U.S. and German Legal Documents in Estate Planning and Probate. LBTA specializes in accurately translating a broad range of legal documents critical to estate planning and probate matters, from detailed wills and comprehensive trust agreements to intricate probate court documents. Our expertise is particularly valuable given the variability of estate laws across the 50 states and the structured yet complex nature of German civil law under the BGB. Our services ensure that every document is translated with a high level of precision and legal insight, providing our clients with clarity and confidence in managing their international probate estate affairs.

Estate and Probate Matters are Profoundly Personal. In the intricate world of international probate and estate matters, where the distinct legal landscapes of the American and German systems intersect, demanding not just precision but an in-depth understanding of the uniqueness of each system. The American legal framework, with its inclusion of concepts like trusts, contrasts sharply with the German system, which operates without direct equivalents for such entities. This divergence underscores the necessity for specialized expertise. At LBTA, we are translators experienced in navigating complexity, providing translations that honor the legal standards and nuances of both nations.

Translation Services

United States
(Common Law and 50 State Laws)

Wills and Testaments: Translation of documents outlining the distribution of assets.
Trust Agreements: Detailed translations of agreements managing assets for beneficiaries.
Probate Court Documents: Including applications for probate, court orders, and other legal filings.
Powers of Attorney: Accurate translations of documents authorizing individuals to act on another’s behalf in financial, health, and legal matters.
Estate Planning Documents: Including living wills, healthcare directives, and other preparatory legal documents.
Property Deeds: Legal document translations indicating property ownership.
Real Estate Management Agreements: Contracts for the management of real estate properties.
Bank Statements: Monthly translations detailing the transactions and balances of bank accounts.
Investment Accounts Statements: Reports on the performance and holdings within investment portfolios
Life Insurance Policies: Document translations detailing the terms, beneficiaries, and coverage.
Pre-Nuptial Agreements: Agreements made before marriage that may affect inheritance, translated to reflect accurate legal intentions.
Correspondence Between Legal Representatives: Translations of letters and communications between lawyers or legal firms involved in estate or probate matters.

Germany
(BGB Civil Law System)

Last Will and Testament (Testament und Letzter Wille): Translations specifying the distribution of the estate.
Estate Planning Documents (Nachlassplanung): Detailed translation of all estate planning documents.
Certificate of Inheritance (Erbschein): Translations of the document issued by the probate court to confirm heirs.
Probate Court Decisions (Entscheidungen des Nachlassgerichts): Including official communications, orders, and other legal determinations.
Power of Attorney (Vorsorgevollmacht): For financial and healthcare decisions, covering broader powers than its U.S. counterpart.
Health Care Proxy (Patientenverfügung): Outlining care wishes, translated to ensure clear communication of the patient’s intentions.
Property Deeds / Grundbuchauszug: The extract from the land registry showing property ownership.
Real Estate Management Agreements / Verwaltungsvertrag für Immobilien: Contracts for the administration of property assets.
Bank Statements / Kontoauszüge: Monthly summaries of transactions and balances for bank accounts.
Investment Accounts Statements / Depotberichte: Documentation of investment account performance and holdings
Life Insurance Policies / Lebensversicherungspolicen: Documents outlining coverage, terms, and beneficiaries.
Pre-Nuptial Agreements / Ehevertrag: Agreements made before marriage, translated accurately to reflect the impact on inheritance.
Correspondence Between Legal Representatives / Schriftverkehr zwischen Rechtsanwälten: Letters and communications between lawyers or legal firms managing estate or probate matters.

Patricia Roess

Founder

Patricia, earned her Master of Science in Deterministic and Probabilistic Models in Decision-Making from the University of Southern California, her undergraduate degree is in German. She grew up in the US and Germany, and learned German as a child. She held management positions in prominent US and German IT companies located in Germany. It was always her goal to seek independence; she founded LBTA. She has spent the last 25 years building LBTA, which serves the German and U.S. legal and business communities. She loves both languages and could not imagine working in a field that did not afford her that opportunity.

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