Louisiana: What Happens to Joint Accounts and Property When Someone Dies Without a Will
How Joint Bank Accounts and Jointly Owned Property Are Handled When Someone Dies Intestate in Louisiana Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. I am not a lawyer. For advice about a specific situation, consult a Louisiana attorney who handles successions and estate matters. Short answer — what typically happens When someone in Louisiana […]
Read article →Reimbursable Expenses for Maintaining Estate Property in Louisiana
Detailed Answer Disclaimer: This is general information only and not legal advice. Laws change and every estate is different. Talk with a Louisiana succession lawyer or the succession court before relying on any suggestion below. When someone dies and their property must be preserved or sold, the person handling the succession (the executor, testamentary trustee, […]
Read article →How to Be Appointed as an Estate Administrator or Co-Administrator in Louisiana
How to Be Appointed as an Estate Administrator or Co-Administrator in Louisiana Disclaimer: This is educational information, not legal advice. Consult a licensed Louisiana attorney for guidance on your specific situation. Detailed answer: Step-by-step process under Louisiana law When someone dies in Louisiana, the court must open a succession (the Louisiana term for probate). If […]
Read article →Louisiana Estate Planning: Using Wills and Beneficiary Designations to Avoid Probate
How to keep assets out of probate in Louisiana using wills, beneficiary designations, and other tools Disclaimer: This is educational information only and is not legal advice. Consult a Louisiana attorney about your specific situation. Detailed answer — What actually passes outside probate in Louisiana and how wills and beneficiary designations interact Short answer: beneficiary […]
Read article →Louisiana: When an Heir Withdraws Money from a Deceased Parent’s Account — Can the Estate Recover It?
Detailed Answer Short answer: Yes — in most cases the estate can try to recover funds that an heir withdrew from a decedent’s bank account or charged to the decedent’s credit cards after the person died. Recovery depends on how the funds were held (sole account, joint account, or payable-on-death beneficiary), whether the withdrawal was […]
Read article →Filing for a Year’s Allowance in Louisiana: What to Include
Filing for a Year’s Allowance in Louisiana: What to Include Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. This is educational information, not legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed Louisiana attorney. Detailed answer — What Louisiana law says and what to file Many states use the term “year’s allowance” (a short-term support […]
Read article →How to Switch to a Small Succession (Small Estate) Process in Louisiana
Detailed Answer: How to switch into a small succession (small estate) process in Louisiana Overview If you are handling a decedent’s estate in Louisiana and you reach or exceed a dollar threshold that prevents using the summary (small succession) procedure, you must change course and use the ordinary succession process. Louisiana law offers a simplified […]
Read article →Louisiana: What Happens If You Pay Back Taxes on Inherited Land but Are Not on the Deed
Does paying back property taxes make you the owner of inherited land in Louisiana? Short answer: No. Paying delinquent property taxes or redeeming a property in Louisiana does not by itself transfer legal title to you. You must follow Louisiana succession and conveyancing law to be placed on the deed or to obtain a court-ordered […]
Read article →Louisiana: How a Sole Heir Can Challenge Letters of Administration and Seek Appointment
What a Sole Heir Should Know About Challenging an Administrator’s Letters in Louisiana This FAQ explains how a sole heir can challenge existing letters of administration and seek appointment as administrator of an intestate estate in Louisiana. This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a Louisiana attorney about your specific situation. Short answer — […]
Read article →Challenging an Administrator Who Closed a Joint Bank Account — Louisiana
Detailed Answer Overview: If an administrator closed your deceased father's joint bank account without notifying heirs, Louisiana law gives heirs several procedural and equitable tools to challenge that action. The path you take depends on whether the account was truly a survivorship/joint account, whether a succession (probate) has been opened, and whether the administrator was […]
Read article →