Interestingly, most people don’t understand probate much, except for their desire to avoid it. Probate cases often arise after the death of a loved one. While you may not like this seemingly complicated law faction, you will have to face these issues at some point. Thankfully, you can still avoid the complexities by hiring a probate lawyer. Below are the basics that answer commonly asked questions about probate.
What Should You Do After Your Loved One Passes Away?
If your parent, sibling, or spouse passes away, you shouldn’t necessarily egypt phone data go through the probate process, where the court supervises and determines the distribution of your loved one’s assets. If the deceased had an estate plan, which includes trusts, life insurance policies, and 401(k)s beneficiary designations, you can avoid the probate process.
However, if your loved one dies without a written will, also called intestate, their properties and assets will be divided as per the intestacy state laws. States have different intestacy laws, making it vital to consult your estate planning attorney or probate lawyer.
Which Estates Need Probate and Which Don’t?
All non-probate assets are transferred to beneficiaries or heirs without going through the probate process for determination. For these transfers, heirs should only present a copy of the death certificate to receive their inheritance. Common categories of non-probate properties include: