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In common law jurisdictions, probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased; or whereby, in the absence of a legal will, the estate is settled according to the laws of intestacy that apply in the jurisdiction where the deceased resided at the time of their death.
A probate court (sometimes called a surrogate court) is a court that has competence in a jurisdiction to deal with matters of probate and the administration of estates. [1] In some jurisdictions, such courts may be referred to as orphans' courts [ 2 ] or courts of ordinary.
The administrator of an estate is a legal term referring to a person appointed by a court to administer the estate of a deceased person who left no will. [1] Where a person dies intestate, i.e., without a will, the court may appoint a person to settle their debts, pay any necessary taxes and funeral expenses, and distribute the remainder according to the procedure set down by law.
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 ...
Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging for the management and disposal of a person's estate during the person's life in preparation for future incapacity or death. The planning includes the bequest of assets to heirs, loved ones, and/or charity , and may include minimizing gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes .
Testate – person who dies having created a will before death. Testator – person who executes or signs a will; that is, the person whose will it is. The antiquated English term of Testatrix was used to refer to a female. [10] Trustee – a person who has the duty under a will trust to ensure that the rights of the beneficiaries are upheld.
“Revocable” means you can change the terms at any time, so long of course as you’re “living.” As the assets aren't considered a part of your estate, they sidestep the probate process.
In this case the court will make the grant to the person, usually the residuary legatee, with the largest beneficial interest in the estate. Administration de bonis non administratis occurs in two cases: Where the executor dies intestate after probate without having completely administered the estate; Where an administrator dies.