A probate judge is an official of the county court system and a judicial official of the state who decides civil court cases that involve the probate process. Probate is the process of proving wills ...

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 ...

Question: My 86-year-old father has an estate that I believe will be worth more than $1 million when he dies. This includes two homes that are paid for and various bank accounts, stocks, bonds and ...

Last week, we wrote about a couple in their 60s who were unsatisfied with the lawyer who prepared their life documents (wills, etc.). They wanted to know exactly what they needed and how to find a ...

Probate court is a specialized type of court that deals with the property and debts of a person who has died. The primary function of probate court is to ensure that a decedent's estate is distributed ...

The article about Aubrey McClendon’s estate says that probate is usually for those who lack the means to plan their estates (“Oil Tycoon’s Probate Fight Enters Year 2,” page one, March 3). In fact, ...

Next Avenue recently asked readers to tell us the estate planning questions they’d like us to answer. We’re now back with the experts’ views on the top question on your mind, plus — as a bonus — their ...

Most Americans know the folly of dying without a will. Under the widely different state formulas devised for such cases, a widow can lose one-half of her husband’s estate to his relatives. Equally ...

SYRACUSE, NY - Probate in New York can consume months of court supervision, thousands of dollars in fees, and expose a ...

Divorce is, at its core, a legal remedy for a deeply human failure, and its consequences are rarely confined to the parties ...

DIY estate planning in Florida can lead to costly problems for families. Learn why generic wills may not protect your assets.

Probate is known for being an unnecessarily complicated and lengthy procedure. Even when the estate being probated is fairly simple and straightforward, proceedings can go on for some time, depending ...