When a person dies without proper planning, their estate enters a public legal process that can last months—sometimes ...

Can You Settle an Estate Without Probate? In certain situations, it is possible to settle an estate without going through probate. Assets held in joint ownership, assets with named beneficiaries (such ...

Probate is the court procedure of proving a will after someone (the decedent) who has completed his or her last will and testament dies. If you have a will and pass away, you have passed away testate ...

Probate is known for being an unnecessarily complicated and lengthy procedure. Even when the estate being probated is fairly simple and straightforward, proceedings can go on for some time, depending ...

Dealing with the death of a loved one is upsetting and stressful enough, but there are specific and sometimes complex rules to follow if you have been put in charge of managing their estate. The ins ...

Sometimes, not always, when a person dies — even if they left a will — a legal process called probate ensues. Probate is ...

Reader Question: How can I avoid probate at death? Answer: Probate is a court administered process whereby at death, the court oversees the transfer of your probate property from your name to the ...

Probating an estate is an expensive, time-consuming and sometimes adversarial affair. It is possible, and sometimes advisable, to avoid probate. With the help of an estate planner and, perhaps, an ...