Guides

Short, sourced answers to the questions behind the numbers.

Assets That Skip Probate and How States Count ThemWhich property usually passes outside probate, and how each state's small-estate statute decides what counts toward its dollar limit. Creditor Claim Periods in Probate by StateHow long creditors have to present claims against an estate in each state, what starts the clock, and the outer limits, with statute citations. Executor Timeline: The Statutory Clock After a DeathThe fixed waits an executor or family meets after a death: small-estate waiting periods, creditor claim periods and outer limits, worked as dates. Probate Court Fees Compared Across StatesWhat courts charge to open an estate in the states whose fee schedule could be read: flat fees, value brackets, percentages, with worked examples. Small Estate Limits by State, ComparedEvery small-estate dollar limit on this site side by side: highest, lowest, spouse figures and inflation-indexed limits, each with its statute. What Is Probate? The Court Process After a DeathWhat probate is, what it does, when an estate can skip it through a small-estate procedure, and what it costs, with figures from state statutes.