When you die, a section of law known as estate and probate law governs how your assets are distributed. Someone who dies (known as the “decedent”) with a legitimate will has set up what is known as a ...

Each state follows its own formula for distributing assets in the absence of a will. Surviving spouses and children may receive different proportions of the estate depending on jurisdiction, sometimes ...

Think estate planning can wait? Here’s the thing: putting off or delaying estate planning can leave your loved ones in a difficult position. Among the issues is passing away without a will, one of ...

Probate is the administrative process used to move official ownership of a deceased person’s possessions, known as assets, to other people. When someone dies having signed a valid will, the probate ...

When someone dies without a will, their estate is divided up according to standard rules, known as intestacy law. As set out in the Inheritance and Trustees' Power Act, the rules determine who ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Marguerita is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor ...

The probate process in Pennsylvania varies based upon whether an individual dies having a Last Will and Testament. If someone dies having executed a valid Will that was in existence at the time of ...