National4 min read
Probate Resources and Guides
Probate guidance should help families understand the court process, find the right next page, and decide when a simplified path may apply.
Settled Estate EditorialRead more
Probate Guides & Estate Settlement Articles
Search probate guides, practical articles, and estate settlement resources.1563 in-depth guides • 105 blog posts
Showing 741-750 of 1796 articlesSearch & Filter
National4 min read
Step-Up in Basis Explained for Inherited Property
Step-up in basis resets the cost basis of inherited property to its fair market value at death. Learn how this tax rule affects capital gains when you sell.
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National4 min read
Estate Bank Account: How an Executor Opens One
How an executor opens an estate bank account: what the bank requires (EIN, letters, death certificate), what flows through it, and the rule against commingling.
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National4 min read
Estate EIN: How to Get a Tax ID for an Estate
When an estate needs its own EIN (federal tax ID), how to get one free from the IRS, when you can skip it, and what the bank asks for to open an estate account.
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National4 min read
How to Transfer Property After Death
How property transfers after death depends on how it was owned: joint tenancy, a transfer-on-death deed, a living trust, or probate. Find your path and the steps for each.
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National4 min read
Letters of Administration: The No-Will Path
Letters of administration prove you can act for an estate with no will. How the court appoints an administrator, how to get the letters, and how they differ from letters testamentary.
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National4 min read
Letters Testamentary: What They Are and How to Get Them
Letters testamentary prove you are the executor. What the court document is, the names different states use, how to get it, and what it unlocks.
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National4 min read
Probate vs. Non-Probate Assets: What Goes Through Court
Probate assets pass through court; non-probate assets go straight to a named person. How to tell which is which, and why it decides what needs probate.
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National4 min read
Small Estate Affidavit: When Simplified Transfer Works
Use this guide to decide when a small estate affidavit or similar simplified procedure may work and when full probate is still required.
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National4 min read
Successor Trustee: Duties, Compensation, and Serving
A successor trustee steps in when the grantor of a living trust dies. Their duties, whether you have to serve, how they are paid, and a checklist.
Settled Estate EditorialRead more
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