Articles
Probate questions, answered
Plain-English answers to the questions families ask about probate. Each one is checked against the state's statutes and court rules, and the sources are cited.
Start with the basics
October 7, 2026
Which Court Handles Probate? Court Names by State
Probate court has a different name in each state. See which court opens estates in 13 states and D.C., the statute behind it, and which county to file in.
October 7, 2026
Living Trust vs Will: What Actually Avoids Probate
A will must go through probate before it can pass property; assets in a living trust skip it. A side-by-side comparison, and how a living will differs.
October 7, 2026
Executor Fees by State: Rates and Worked Examples
What an executor is paid under the fee statutes of California, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and Texas, with the math on a $300,000 estate.
October 7, 2026
Letters Testamentary vs Letters of Administration
Both prove who can act for an estate. Letters testamentary go to an executor named in a will; letters of administration go to someone the court picks.
October 7, 2026
Probate vs Non-Probate Assets: What Goes Through Court
Which assets need probate and which pass straight to a beneficiary, co-owner or trust. A table by asset type, with the statutes behind each rule.
October 7, 2026
Small Estate Affidavit Limits and Waiting Periods by State
Dollar limits and waiting periods for skipping full probate in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas.
October 7, 2026
What Does It Mean to Probate a Will?
To probate a will is to have a court accept it as valid so it can pass property. The steps, filing deadlines, and what a self-proved will changes.
October 7, 2026
How Long Does Probate Take? Creditor Deadlines by State
Probate can't close before the creditor claim period ends. See that deadline in 9 states, from 3 months in Florida to 6 months in Ohio.
State and county articles
October 7, 2026
Can You Sell a House in Probate in North Carolina?
Yes, but who can sell and when depends on the will, the clerk of superior court, and the two-year creditor rule in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-17-12.
North Carolina
October 7, 2026
Texas Affidavit of Heirship: No-Will Estates and Forms
A Texas affidavit of heirship names the heirs of someone who died without a will, with no court case. What it proves, the model form, and related forms.
Texas