PROBATE BASICS & ORIENTATION
- UNDERSTANDING THE PROBATE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH
- WHEN PROBATE IS REQUIRED AND WHEN IT’S NOT
- SMALL ESTATE PROCEDURES AND AFFIDAVITS
- FORMAL VS. INFORMAL PROBATE: KEY DIFFERENCES
- CHOOSING THE RIGHT PROBATE COURT AND JURISDICTION
- UNDERSTANDING PROBATE DEADLINES AND TIMELINES
- COURT FEES, COSTS, AND HOW TO MINIMIZE THEM
- KEY PROBATE FORMS AND HOW TO COMPLETE THEM
- PROBATE TERMINOLOGY MADE SIMPLE
- STRATEGIES TO AVOID OR MINIMIZE PROBATE
EXECUTOR & PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
- ACCEPTING OR DECLINING THE ROLE OF EXECUTOR
- STEP-BY-STEP CHECKLIST FOR EXECUTORS
- FILING THE INITIAL PETITION AND OPENING THE ESTATE
- COLLECTING AND SAFEGUARDING ESTATE ASSETS
- NOTIFYING HEIRS, BENEFICIARIES, AND CREDITORS
- KEEPING ACCURATE RECORDS AND ACCOUNTINGS
- PAYING DEBTS, TAXES, AND ONGOING BILLS
- HANDLING REAL ESTATE DURING PROBATE
- DISTRIBUTING ASSETS AND CLOSING THE ESTATE
- EXECUTOR COMPENSATION, REIMBURSEMENTS, AND LIABILITY
PROBATE & REAL ESTATE
- SELLING REAL PROPERTY THROUGH PROBATE COURT
- HANDLING MORTGAGED OR ENCUMBERED PROPERTY
- MANAGING RENTAL PROPERTY DURING PROBATE
- DEALING WITH SQUATTERS AND HOLDOVER TENANTS
- TRANSFERRING TITLE TO BENEFICIARIES
- PREPARING AND RECORDING DEEDS FOR PROBATE TRANSFERS
- PARTITION ACTIONS WHEN HEIRS DISAGREE
- USING INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION TO SELL PROPERTY
- ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (PHASE I/II) IN PROBATE SALES
- HANDLING PROPERTY IN MULTIPLE STATES (ANCILLARY PROBATE)
ASSETS & VALUATION
- LOCATING AND IDENTIFYING ALL ESTATE ASSETS
- APPRAISING REAL ESTATE, VEHICLES, AND PERSONAL PROPERTY
- HANDLING BANK ACCOUNTS AND SAFE DEPOSIT BOXES
- TRANSFERRING INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS AND STOCKS
- DEALING WITH DIGITAL ASSETS AND CRYPTOCURRENCY
- COLLECTING LIFE INSURANCE AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS
- VALUING AND DISTRIBUTING JEWELRY, ART, AND COLLECTIBLES
- MANAGING BUSINESS INTERESTS AND LLC MEMBERSHIPS
- HANDLING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND ROYALTIES
- DEALING WITH UNKNOWN OR HIDDEN ASSETS
DEBTS, TAXES & CREDITORS
- IDENTIFYING AND NOTIFYING CREDITORS PROPERLY
- PRIORITIZING AND PAYING DEBTS IN THE RIGHT ORDER
- NEGOTIATING WITH CREDITORS TO SAVE THE ESTATE MONEY
- HANDLING SECURED VS. UNSECURED DEBTS
- RESOLVING DISPUTES OVER CLAIMS
- FILING FINAL INCOME TAX RETURNS FOR THE DECEASED
- UNDERSTANDING ESTATE AND INHERITANCE TAXES
- AVOIDING EXECUTOR PERSONAL LIABILITY FOR TAXES
- USING ESTATE TAX ELECTIONS AND DEDUCTIONS
- PLANNING FOR ONGOING EXPENSES DURING ADMINISTRATION
CONTESTED & COMPLEX ESTATES
- WILL CONTESTS: UNDUE INFLUENCE AND LACK OF CAPACITY
- DEFENDING AGAINST WILL CONTESTS
- HANDLING MULTIPLE WILLS OR LOST WILLS
- HEIRSHIP DETERMINATION WHEN NO WILL EXISTS
- RESOLVING FAMILY DISPUTES AND SIBLING RIVALRIES
- MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION IN PROBATE CASES
- REMOVING OR REPLACING A MISBEHAVING EXECUTOR
- CONTESTED CREDITORS’ CLAIMS AND LITIGATION
- HANDLING INSOLVENT ESTATES
- REOPENING A CLOSED ESTATE FOR NEW ASSETS
SPECIAL SITUATIONS & UNIQUE ASSETS
- PROBATE FOR ESTATES WITH BUSINESSES OR PARTNERSHIPS
- HANDLING FARMS AND AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY
- ESTATES WITH OIL, GAS, OR MINERAL RIGHTS
- PROBATE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND COPYRIGHTS
- ESTATES WITH INTERNATIONAL OR OFFSHORE ASSETS
- MILITARY BENEFITS AND SURVIVOR RIGHTS
- HANDLING FOREIGN REAL ESTATE OR BANK ACCOUNTS
- DEALING WITH OUT-OF-STATE HEIRS AND BENEFICIARIES
- PROBATE FOR DIGITAL ENTREPRENEURS AND INFLUENCERS
- ESTATES CONTAINING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OR ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES
PLANNING TO AVOID OR SIMPLIFY PROBATE
- USING REVOCABLE LIVING TRUSTS TO AVOID PROBATE
- TRANSFER-ON-DEATH (TOD) DEEDS AND ACCOUNTS
- PAY-ON-DEATH (POD) BANK ACCOUNTS
- JOINT TENANCY AND COMMUNITY PROPERTY WITH RIGHT OF SURVIVORSHIP
- BENEFICIARY DEEDS AND ASSIGNMENTS
- LIFETIME GIFTS TO REDUCE PROBATE ASSETS
- USING FAMILY LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS OR LLCS
- COORDINATING LIFE INSURANCE AND RETIREMENT PLANS
- UPDATING BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS EFFECTIVELY
- COMBINING ESTATE PLANNING TOOLS FOR ZERO-PROBATE GOALS
STATE-SPECIFIC & PROCEDURE-HEAVY COURSES
- CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION OF ESTATES ACT (IAEA)
- CALIFORNIA SPOUSAL PROPERTY PETITIONS
- FLORIDA SUMMARY ADMINISTRATION
- TEXAS INDEPENDENT VS. DEPENDENT ADMINISTRATION
- NEW YORK PROBATE AND SURROGATE’S COURT PRACTICE
- ILLINOIS SMALL ESTATE AFFIDAVIT PROCEDURES
- ANCILLARY PROBATE FOR MULTI-STATE PROPERTY OWNERS
- COMMUNITY PROPERTY RULES IN THE WESTERN STATES
- UNIFORM PROBATE CODE OVERVIEW AND KEY DIFFERENCES
- HANDLING STATE-SPECIFIC PROBATE TAXES AND FEES
ADVANCED & EMERGING TOPICS
- EMERGENCY PROBATE PETITIONS AND TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATORS
- PROBATE DURING PENDING LITIGATION OR DIVORCE
- HANDLING ESTATES IN BANKRUPTCY
- USING PROBATE REFEREES AND COURT-APPOINTED APPRAISERS
- DIGITAL PROBATE: E-FILING AND REMOTE HEARINGS
- ETHICAL DUTIES OF EXECUTORS AND ATTORNEYS
- FIDUCIARY BONDS AND INSURANCE FOR EXECUTORS
- PREVENTING AND COMBATING ELDER FINANCIAL ABUSE
- PROBATE FOR HIGH-PROFILE OR PUBLIC FIGURES
- INTEGRATING PROBATE LESSONS INTO LONG-TERM ESTATE PLANNING