What does probate mean? Nation Wide Probate is a legal proceeding required to settle a deceased person’s estate, paying all debts of the decedent, and distributing the property to the heirs and beneficiaries. When a Living Trust holds the title to some of the decedent’s property, however, that property can pass to the beneficiaries without going through probate. A court probate of a will, depending on the size of the estate, can be expensive and time-consuming. The probate process varies dramatically between states but can be completely avoided with proper estate planning.

Previously, all estates had to be formally brought before a judge before assets could be distributed to the beneficiaries. In more recent years, however, the courts have simplified the Nation Wide probate process and now there are several ways to transfer property at death. Some of these procedures do not even require formal court proceedings or may be able to be handled through a more simplified probate proceeding. The term “probate” is often used loosely to describe any process where an estate is settled and distributed.

If you want to file a probate in Nation Wide, the probate law does not require you to hire an attorney to settle the estate. The average simple estate can often be settled using the guidelines of self-help materials and the services of a registered legal document assistant to prepare your probate paperwork. Some complications which may need special knowledge or handling by an attorney are:

• Ambiguities in a will
• Contested claims against the estate
• Estates that have more debts than assets
• Estates that have unresolved claims