A probate judge works in the civil court, and like any other judge, serves as a judicial officer of the state. Probate judges play a central role in the probate process, overseen by the titular probate court, or as it’s known in other states, the surrogate’s court. Probate judges make the final call for important
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Probate courts and the probate process are necessary for the validation of any last will and testament, as well as the arbitration of final debts and other financial obligations, and the ultimate distribution of a person’s estate left behind after death. Probate can and does work without a will and is necessary even if a
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Learning how to avoid probate in California is essential. Take the right steps by reducing the estate, joint ownership and leveraging trusts. The probate process can be lengthy, costly, and stressful. The larger and more complicated the estate, the more these adjectives apply. Yet, there are ways to circumvent, expedite, or even skip probate in the state
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Probate without a will can be a lengthy, confusing process. Dying without a will can complicate the succession asset distribution process, based on state laws. A person’s death is succeeded by the dissolution of their estate, or in other words, the distribution of everything they own. While we may mourn and honor the dead, most
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Because probate records are public court filings, anyone can obtain a copy of it. With modern technology comes the ability to locate such information, and in most cases for free. If you are interested in gaining access to a deceased person’s will, or a summary of their estate, then you may be surprised to find
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Wills and estate plans are the last things anyone wants to think about after a death in the family. Still, when a loved one dies, the process for distributing their belongings becomes an important step towards final closure, both in the personal and legal sense. All states require that a probate court oversees the distribution
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The probate process can be a lengthy and expensive affair for certain estates, especially after they have reached a specific scope and level of complexity. But it is not always necessary, and there are ways to shorten and even avoid probate. Careful estate planning tools can serve as an alternative option to California probate and
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Probate is an important part of the estate planning process, as it usually sets the timeframe from your death to the total dissolution and distribution of your estate. However, contrary to popular belief, probate does not always last forever. The probate proceedings process can be truncated, sped through, or even skipped depending on the circumstances,
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Death can come suddenly and unexpectedly, and it is rare to be prepared for it. As a matter of fact, nearly half of all Americans over the age of 55 do not have a will, and only 18 percent of Americans above age 55 have an established estate plan (with more than just a will).
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The thing to remember about probate is that, in a best-case scenario, it is boring. And that is a good thing. The probate estate process is not overly complex in most cases, and it does not need to be. If you are in charge of overseeing the probate estate process, it helps to have a
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