Estate Taxes: 10 Things to Know
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The Probate Basics
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The Seven Essentials of a Valid Will
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Probate Courts
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State Laws: Estates & Probate
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Estate Planning Attorneys - By Location
In one form or another, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws governing most aspects of estate planning and probate -- legal validity of wills, creation of trusts, the probate process, and more. These laws can fall under various names, often as collections of laws called "codes." The different estate and probate codes that can be found from state to state include "Decedents' Estates," "Trust and Fiduciaries," "Estate Administration," and the "Uniform Probate Code."
In the table below, you will find links and citations to estate and probate laws for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
[Note on the "Uniform Probate Code": As shown on the chart below, a number of states have adopted the Uniform Probate Code. The Code represents an all-inclusive standard meant to simplify understanding of the probate process, and to encourage similarity of laws among different states. It has been adopted, in whole or in part, by about 20 states.]
Alabama
Title 43 Chapter 2 Administration
of Estates
Title 43 Chapter 8 Probate
Code
Alaska
Title 13 Decedents' Estates,
Guardianships, Transfers and Trusts
Title 13 Chapter 16 Probate of Wills
and Administration
Arizona
Title 14 Trusts, Estates and Protective Proceedings
Arkansas
Title 28 Wills, Estates and Fiduciary Relationships
California
Colorado
Title 15 Probate, Trusts and Fiduciaries
Connecticut
Title 45 Probate Courts and Procedure
District of Columbia
Division III Title 18 Wills
Division III Title 19 Descent
Distribution and Trusts
Division III Title 20 Probate and
Administration of Decedents' Estates
Florida
Title XLII Estates and Trusts
Georgia
Title 53 Wills, Trusts, and Administration of Estates
Hawaii
Title 30A Uniform Probate Code
Idaho
Title 15 Uniform Probate Code
Illinois
Chapter 755 Estates
Chapter 760 Trusts and
Fiduciaries
Indiana
Iowa
Title XV Chapter 633 Probate Code
Title XV Chapter 634 Private Foundations
and Charitable Trusts
Title XV Chapter 635 Administration of
Small Estates
Title XV Chapter 636
Sureties-Fiduciaries-Trusts-Investments
Kansas
Chapter 59 Probate Code
Kentucky
Chapter 140 Inheritance and Estate Taxes
Chapter 386 Administration of Trusts -
Investments
Chapter 391 Descent and Distribution
Chapter 394 Wills
Chapter 395 Personal Representatives
Chapter 396 Claims Against
Decedents' Estates
Louisiana
Book III, Title I Of Successions
Uniform Probate Law
Maine
Maryland
Titles 1 to16 Estates and Trusts
Massachusetts
MGL Part II, Title II Descent and Distribution, Wills, Estates
Michigan
Chapters 701 to 713 Probate Code
Minnesota
Chapters 524-532 Estates of Decedents; Guardianships
Mississippi
Title 91 Trusts and Estates
Missouri
Title XXXI, Chapters 456-475 Trusts and Estates of Decedents
Montana
Title 72 Estates, Trusts and Fiduciary Relationships
Nebraska
Chapter 30 Decedents' Estates; Protection of Persons and Property
Nevada
New Hampshire
Title 56 Probate Courts and Decedents' Estates
New Jersey
Titles 3A and 3B Administration of Estates -- Decedents and Others
New Mexico
Chapter 45 Uniform Probate Code
Chapter 46 Fiduciaries and
Trusts
New York
Chapter 17-B Estates, Powers and Trusts
North Carolina
Chapter 41 Estates
Chapter 47 Probate and
Registration
North Dakota
Title 30.1 Uniform Probate Code
Ohio
Title XXI Courts - Probate - Juvenile
Oklahoma
Oregon
Chapter 111 Probate Law
Chapter 112 Intestate Succession and Wills
Chapter 113 Initiation of Estate
Proceedings
Chapter 114 Administration of Estates
Chapter 115 Claims, Actions, and Suits
Against Estates
Pennsylvania
Title 20 Decedents, Estates and Fiduciaries
Rhode Island
Title 33 Probate Practice and Procedure
South Dakota
South Carolina
Tennessee
Title 30 Administration of Estates
Title 31 Descent and Distribution
Title 32 Wills
Title 35 Fiduciaries and Trust
Estates
Texas
Texas Probate Code
Texas Probate Code Chapter V Estates
of Decedents
Texas Probate Code Chapter IV
Execution and Revocation of Wills
Texas Probate Code Chapter XIII
Guardianship
Utah
Vermont
Title 14 Decedents' Estates and Fiduciary Relations
Virginia
Title 64.1 Wills and Decedents' Estates
Washington
Title 11 Probate and Trust Law
West Virginia
Chapter 41 Wills
Chapter 42 Descent and Distribution
Chapter 44 Administration of Estates and
Trusts
Wisconsin
Chapter 701 Trusts
Chapter 853 Wills
Chapters 851 to 882 Probate
Wyoming
Title 2 Wills, Decedents' Estates and
Probate Code
Title 2 Chapter 2 Probate Court
Title 2 Chapter 6 Wills
Title 2 Chapter 7 Administration of
Estates
Source: http://estate.findlaw.com/probate/probate-court-laws/estate-planning-law-state-probate.html
** POSTED DECEMBER 6, 2005 **