Probate means that there is a court case that deals with: 

• Deciding if a will exists and is valid;

• Figuring out who are the decedent’s heirs or beneficiaries;

• Figuring out how much the decedent’s property is worth;

• Taking care of the decedent’s financial responsibilities; and

• Transferring the decedent’s property to the heirs or beneficiaries.

Losing a loved one is a sad and difficult time for family, relatives, and friends. Those left behind must often figure out how to transfer or inherit property from the person who has died. The property that a person leaves behind when they die is called the “decedent’s estate.” The “decedent” is the person who died. Their “estate” is the property they owned when they died.

To transfer or inherit property after someone dies, you must usually go to court. And dealing with the courts and the property of someone who has died is very complicated. Sometimes, however, family or relatives may be able to transfer property from someone who has died without going to court.

It is not always easy to tell whether you need to go to court or qualify to use a different procedure. There are a lot of new terms in these types of cases that you should know. Click for a short list of words related to wills and estates and what they mean.

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