Probate and Estate Administration

Probate is the process by which a deceased person’s property (the “estate”) is passed to his or her heirs or the persons listed in the will. The entire process is supervised by the probate court.

The probate estate includes all property held in the decedent’s name. Certain kinds of property, such as properly owned jointly by the deceased and another person, property held in trust and property with a beneficiary are not subject to the probate process.

The personal representative is responsible for collecting the probate property and for paying any debts of the estate. The executor may need to file inventories, accountings and tax returns.