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How to Transfer Property After Death Without a Will
Passing away without a will, known as dying intestate, drops a family into a court-guided maze they never asked for. Real property, personal belongings, and even routine bank accounts freeze until a probate judge sorts out who inherits. If you are handling a loved one’s home after they die without instructions, or you simply want […]
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How Long Do You Have to File Probate After Death?
Quick Answer Every state sets its own clock for filing probate after a person’s death, and the range is wider than most families expect. For example, in Nevada, anyone holding the will must get it to the county probate clerk within 30 days of learning of the death. Texas gives an executor up to four […]
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Who Owns a House During Probate?
Until the probate process is complete, the home sits in a kind of legal limbo. Title stays with the deceased person’s estate, the probate court oversees every major move, and an executor or court-appointed administrator manages day-to-day decisions in the best interests of the estate. No heir truly owns a house during probate, even if […]
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Understanding Probate Disputes: What Every Estate Beneficiary and Heir Should Know
Probate fights do not usually start as courtroom brawls. They start with a question at the kitchen table, a bank clerk asking for papers, or a relative who thinks something in the will does not add up. If you are staring at forms and hearing different advice from different people, you are not alone. The […]
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How Much Does an Estate Have to Be Worth to Go to Probate?
Short answer: There isn’t one magic number. Each state sets its own probate threshold, and the details change depending on the mix of assets, whether real estate is owned, and how the paperwork is handled. So the quick rule of thumb is this: an estate has to be worth more than your state’s “small-estate” cap […]
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What Is Ancillary Probate?
Ancillary probate is the extra round of court work that pops up when someone passes away owning real property or other sizable assets in a state (or country) that isn’t the place they called home. It lives alongside the primary probate in the decedent’s home state, and it exists so local courts can make sure […]
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What is an Administrator of Estate?
When a deceased person leaves behind money, real property, and keepsakes, someone has to step in and wrap things up. If the will names an executor, great, the job is already spoken for. But if the person died without a valid will, or the named executor can’t serve, the probate court steps in and appoints […]
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What Happens When an Executor Does Not Follow the Will: Probate Process and Beneficiary Rights Explained
Picture this: your uncle passes, the last will and testament rests in a desk drawer, and the named executor keeps saying they will “get to it.” Weeks stretch into months, bills pile up, and nobody knows where the money went. When a person dies, the law expects smooth estate administration. If the executor does not […]
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Understanding Probate Lawyer Fees: Who Pays Probate Attorney Fees?
Quick Answer Most of the time the attorney’s fee for a probate case comes straight out of the estate itself, so the executor signs the check but the heirs ultimately pay the bill. State law typically sets the clock on when you must get the case rolling. File late and you invite higher probate cost […]
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What Is an Estate Sale?
If you’ve ever rolled past a hand-painted “Estate Sale Today” sign and wondered how it differs from the mid-week garage or yard sale down the block, you’re not alone. Folks treat estate sales like mini treasure hunts where the contents of a home, sometimes the entire collection of a family or estate, are priced for […]
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