Probate Initiation: An interested party, often a family member or creditor, petitions the probate court to open an intestate estate. Appointment of Administrator: The court appoints an administrator ...

Probate is the legal process of administering a Decedent’s Last Will & Testament (“Will”), whereby assets owned by the Decedent at death are distributed pursuant to the terms of their Will, or if ...

When a loved one passes away and you know you need to get the probate court involved, oftentimes people find themselves asking where they begin. Further, people often wonder if they must get an ...

After a death, settling a person’s estate typically triggers the probate process. This court proceeding, during which the ...

Finding a valid will years later begs the question: is it too late? Let's imagine Sarah. While going through some old papers, ...

My mom died just over a year ago, and I’m still knee-deep in probate. I’m barely average. The typical probate process to settle a will or the estate of somebody who dies without one takes 20 months, ...

Christy Bieber has a JD from UCLA School of Law and began her career as a college instructor and textbook author. She has been writing full time for over a decade with a focus on making financial and ...

We constantly hear from advisors that we should plan our affairs in such a way as to avoid probate. What does the phrase mean and what property is subject to the probate process? What planning is ...

Without a will, your state probate court decides where your property goes after your death. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when ...

Create a will to ensure assets are distributed as you wish after death. Using online tools like LegalZoom can simplify drafting your will. Regularly update your will, especially after major life ...