Bluffton is in Beaufort County.
1 Corpus Christi Place, Suite 112, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Michael J. Howell has over 40 years of estate planning, probate and trust law experience and is certified by the South Carolina Supreme Court as a specialist in estate planning and probate law. The firm serves Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort County, and the Lowcountry.
Levin Gilley & Fisher maintains a long-established practice founded in 1948 that focuses on representing individuals and businesses with real estate transactions, estate planning including wills and trusts, probate and trust administration, and business and corporate matters. The firm serves Beaufort, Dataw Island, Fripp Island, Port Royal, Bluffton, Hilton Head, and throughout Beaufort County.
Probate Court Record
Beaufort County
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How to file probate in Beaufort County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Beaufort County? →Settling an estate in Beaufort County →
Free South Carolina forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for South Carolina.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
In South Carolina, a pour-over will is signed before 2S.C. Code § 62-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in South Carolina: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool.
Settling a trust in South Carolina happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeS.C. Code Ann. § 62-7-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 90 daysS.C. Code §§ 62-7-813, 62-7-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
In South Carolina, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent)S.C. Code Ann. § 62-7-708Verified Sep 18, 2026View source unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.
Settling an estate in South Carolina: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysS.C. Code §§ 62-3-706, 62-3-707, 62-3-708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 8 monthsSC Code §§ 62-3-801, 62-3-803, 62-3-805, 62-3-806Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
South Carolina requires a final state income tax return for the decedent alongside the federal Form 1040S.C. Code Ann. §§ 12-6-510, 12-6-1140(15), 12-6-1170, 12-6-1171 (as amended by H.4216, Act No. 110 (R.117), 2026)Verified Sep 20, 2026View source; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,00026 USC 2001(c), 2010; P.L. 119-21 §70106Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Inherited assets in South Carolina take a basis reset to fair market value on the date of death26 USC § 1014Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the gain on a later sale faces state tax on the 56% of long-term gain left after a 44% exclusionS.C. Code Ann. § 12-6-1150 (44% net capital gain deduction)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
3 trust administration firms have an office in Bluffton, South Carolina. Each listing carries the firm's practice areas, its Bluffton office and its phone.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
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3 firms
LawyerLisa handles probate across South Carolina from Irmo in the Midlands and offices in Simpsonville, Aiken, Bluffton, Mount Pleasant, and Myrtle Beach. The firm represents proposed personal representatives through appointment and their duties, preparing filings such as the Information to Heirs and Devisees and the Inventory and Appraisement. It also handles elder law and trust administration.
Montgomery Law Firm is a dedicated estate planning practice serving the Lowcountry. Attorney Hunter Montgomery has focused exclusively on estate planning and probate law since joining the SC Bar in 2002. The firm is a member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys.
Stratton & Reynolds, LLC serves individuals and families with a special emphasis on the elderly and aging populations. The attorneys offer estate planning services for personal estates and businesses, as well as expertise in elder law, Medicaid and skilled nursing care planning, and probate avoidance.
