How can a personal representative confirm a probate proceeding has concluded and a trust has been properly funded? (CA)
How a Personal Representative Confirms Probate Is Finished and a Trust Is Funded — California Short answer: To confirm a probate has concluded and that a decedent’s trust has been properly funded in California, a personal representative (executor) should (1) review the court file for a final order and discharge, (2) verify the estate’s final […]
Read article →What formal requirements ensure a power of attorney executed in prison is legally valid? (CA)
Can a power of attorney signed inside a California prison be legally valid? — FAQ Short answer: Yes — a power of attorney (POA) signed by an incarcerated person in California can be legally valid if it meets California’s formal requirements: the principal’s legal capacity, a signed writing (or a valid signature-by-direction), compliance with execution […]
Read article →How to submit an affidavit accounting for personal property in a small estate case — CA
How to submit an affidavit accounting for personal property in a California small estate case This FAQ-style guide explains how to prepare and submit an affidavit to collect personal property under California's small estate rules. It assumes no prior legal knowledge and uses a simple hypothetical to illustrate the steps. This is general information only […]
Read article →What records are needed to show asset transfers under small estate procedures (CA)
How to prove asset transfers under California small estate procedures This FAQ explains what records typically show that assets moved after a California resident’s death when you use the state’s small estate procedures (Probate Code §13100 et seq.). It uses simple examples and practical steps anyone can follow. This is educational information only — not […]
Read article →How do I value collectibles like Pokémon cards when preparing my estate paperwork in California (CA)?
FAQ: Valuing Collectibles (like Pokémon cards) for Estate Paperwork in California Detailed Answer — How to value collectibles for California estate paperwork When you prepare estate paperwork in California, you must give a reliable, supportable value for tangible personal property (including collectibles such as Pokémon cards). Courts, executors, trustees, beneficiaries, and tax authorities expect values […]
Read article →What are the legal requirements and process for transferring a decedent’s firearms during probate in California (CA)?
Detailed Answer Short answer: In California, firearms that belonged to a person who died are treated as the decedent’s personal property. The person appointed to administer the estate (executor, personal representative, or trustee) must identify and secure the firearms, determine who is entitled to them under the will, trust, or intestate succession rules, and then […]
Read article →How to protect life insurance proceeds from creditor claims in California when there is no named beneficiary
How to protect life insurance proceeds from creditor claims in California when there is no named beneficiary Short answer If a life insurance policy has no valid living beneficiary named, proceeds generally become part of the decedent’s probate estate in California and can be exposed to creditor claims during estate administration. To protect proceeds you […]
Read article →What should I do if an heir refuses to return estate property and the estate is still open? — CA
Detailed Answer — What to do if an heir refuses to return estate property under California law Short answer: If an heir keeps estate property while probate is still open, the personal representative (executor or administrator) should act promptly: confirm ownership, make a written demand, preserve evidence, and then ask the probate court to compel […]
Read article →Can I become the personal representative of my sister's estate? (CA)
How to be appointed the personal representative of a sibling's estate under California law Detailed answer — how appointment works and what you must do This explains, in plain terms, when and how you can become the personal representative (sometimes called an executor or administrator) for your sister’s estate in California. It uses common steps […]
Read article →What options do heirs have when an estate administrator becomes unresponsive or refuses to distribute assets? (CA)
Detailed Answer — Remedies when a California estate administrator is unresponsive or refuses to distribute assets This FAQ explains practical steps heirs and beneficiaries can take under California law when an estate administrator (executor or administrator) stops communicating, delays distribution, or refuses to turn over estate assets. This is an overview only — it is […]
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