What is Probate?
What steps are involved in Probate?
Q: What is Probate?
Probate is the legal process of administering an estate. It is initiated by entering the will of the decedent in the Register of Wills office in the county where the decedent resided. In the event that an individual passes without a will, then the intestacy process in Pennsylvania would direct the disposition of the estate.
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Q: What steps are involved in Probate?
Every probate estate is unique, but most involve the following steps:
- Filing of a petition with the proper probate court
- Notice to heirs under the Will or to statutory heirs (if no Will exists)
- Petition to appoint Executor (in the case of a Will) or Administrator for the estate
- Inventory and appraisal of estate assets by Executor/Administrator
- Payment of estate debt to rightful creditors
- Sale of estate assets
- Payment of estate taxes, if applicable
- Final distribution of assets to heirs
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