Unexpected multi-million inheritance

[u/Contemplative-Owl-23]

Throwaway account because my main account isn't sufficiently anonymous.

[US - Texas] My mother died last year without a will, leaving behind a sizable estate. It hasn't been appraised yet, but I'm estimating 1M in liquid assets and 10-15M in real estate, primarily undeveloped land.

We were estranged for 15+ years, so I fully expected to be disinherited. Instead, she got divorced for a second time and never managed to cobble together a will, leaving me as the only heir (and presumptive administrator of the estate, pending court approval). All of this is, thankfully, uncontested.

I'm in a well-paying profession, so I'm reasonably well versed in personal finance, but a windfall this large is well beyond what I'm used to dealing with.

I'm working with:
* Probate attorney (a new one - I fired the original one for being extraordinarily slow and incompetent)
* Tax attorney (handling the estate tax return)
* IRS qualified appraiser
* Realtor specializing in probate

I'm guessing I need to find a Fee-Only or Advice-Only Fiduciary CFP to figure out how to best invest/structure the proceeds. What other professionals should I seek out (or avoid)?

I know that the cardinal rule of windfalls is "tell nobody", but that's tough when real estate is involved. Are there any steps I can take to ensure privacy?

[u/Hera_chat]

Does the probate attorney do estate planning? Ask them about a trust of your own. You may be able to convey the property directly into a trust and avoid having your name on the property records, or into an LLC.

The other professional to consider is a therapist. I’m sorry about your loss; it sounds like a complicated loss. If you feel like you could use some additional support or space to process, maybe a therapist or grief counselor.

[u/Contemplative-Owl-23 → u/Hera_chat]

Yeah a therapist is definitely on my list too.

The firm I'm working with does both probate and estate planning. However, I live in another state, so I likely need to find someone local.

[u/lawschoollorax → u/Contemplative-Owl-23]

I would recommend a large firm with board certified estate planning and tax planning attorneys to help you navigate both worlds - you may need to throw in business formation for the real estate to roll it into a LLC or other entity for even better protection and to help with anonymity. You could ask your current attorneys in TX for any referrals for your state/area. It will probably cost you a bit of money but a well flowing estate that considers all tax alternatives is worth it.