Claiming Benefits and Property Without Probate
After a death, it’s not necessary to get a probate court’s approval in order to transfer many valuable assets to the people who inherit them. All kinds of property, including real estate, cars, bank accounts, and stocks may not need to go through probate. It all depends on how the deceased person set things up.
Here are some articles that will help you sort through the assets in the estate you’re handling, and determine which ones require probate and which ones don’t.
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Claiming Pensions, Veterans, and Other Benefits: Information for Executors and Beneficiaries
How surviving family members can get all available benefits after a loved one dies.
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How Beneficiaries Can Claim Life Insurance and Social Security Benefits
Beneficiaries need to know how to collect life insurance and Social Security payments that belonged to the deceased; the executor of the estate doesn't usually handle this task.
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Finding Unclaimed Life Insurance Policy Proceeds
Billions in life insurance proceeds sit unclaimed--don't let it happen to your family.
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Claiming Wages After a Family Member Dies
Most states allow surviving family members to collect, without probate, wages earned by the deceased person.
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Claiming Property With Affidavits
If an estate is small enough, under state law, then inheritors won't have to go to probate court at all.
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Probate Shortcuts in Your State
Every state offers some kind of shortcut for "small estates"--which, under some state's rules, can actually be quite large.
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How Beneficiaries Can Claim Payable-on-Death Assets
Here's how inheritors can record ownership of POD assets left to them.
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How Joint Owners Can Transfer Survivorship Property After Death
How to document the transfer of property held in joint tenancy and other kinds of survivorship property.
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