Maine: Challenging a Final Estate Accounting When You Received No Notice
Detailed answer — What you can do if you didn’t get notice of a final accounting in a Maine probate case Short answer: Act quickly. In Maine probate matters, beneficiaries and interested persons have the right to review accountings and to object. If a sibling filed a final accounting and you never received notice, you […]
Read article →Maine: Can You Challenge a Probate Accounting More Than a Year After Approval?
Detailed Answer When a personal representative (executor or administrator) files an inventory and accounting in Maine probate court and the court allows that accounting, it often signals the close of routine challenges to how the estate was handled. However, an allowed accounting is not always the absolute end of the road. Under Maine law, interested […]
Read article →Maine: Where to open probate when someone died in one state but lived in another
Detailed Answer — Which jurisdiction controls probate under Maine law? When someone dies, two separate questions determine where to open a probate case: (1) where the decedent was domiciled at death (their legal home) and (2) where specific property is located (especially real estate). Under Maine principles that follow the common approach used across U.S. […]
Read article →How to Clear Creditor Claims Before Selling a Parent’s Estate Home in Maine
Detailed Answer When you plan to sell a parent’s home that is part of their estate in Maine, the key legal issue is making sure creditor claims and liens are handled so the buyer receives marketable title and you avoid personal liability. The precise steps depend on whether the estate is already opened in probate, […]
Read article →Retitling a Vehicle After a Parent Dies — Maine Guide
Detailed Answer — Step-by-step guide under Maine law This FAQ explains the common steps people follow in Maine when a vehicle must be retitled after the owner dies. It describes how to determine who can sign the title, when you need probate court authority, and how to complete the transfer with the Maine Bureau of […]
Read article →Maine — What Happens to Leftover Sale Proceeds When Someone Dies Without a Will
FAQ: Who gets leftover sale proceeds when someone dies intestate in Maine? Short answer: In Maine, money from a sale that belonged to a person who dies without a will becomes part of that person’s probate estate unless it passed outside probate (for example, by joint tenancy, a payable-on-death account, or a beneficiary designation). The […]
Read article →Maine — What to Do if an Administrator Withholds Estate Documents
What to do if an estate administrator is withholding asset information in Maine Short answer: In Maine you can demand estate records from the personal representative (administrator), ask the Probate Court to compel production or require an accounting, and seek court remedies (including removal or surcharge) if the administrator refuses or mismanages estate assets. Below […]
Read article →How to Challenge a Sibling’s Application for Letters of Administration in Maine
How to Formally Challenge a Sibling’s Application for Letters of Administration in Maine Short answer: If you object to a sibling’s application for letters of administration in Maine, you must file a formal objection (often called a petition or written objection) with the probate court in the county where the decedent lived, ask for a […]
Read article →Maine: Forcing a Spouse to Sell a Home and Distribute Proceeds — Probate Remedies and Steps
Can the estate force the sale of a house and distribute the proceeds under Maine law? Short answer: Possibly — but it depends on who holds title to the property, what the will says, and whether Maine statutory protections (like homestead or spouse’s allowances) apply. If the house is solely owned by the decedent and […]
Read article →Maine — How to Recover a Cash Bequest When an Executor Won't Cooperate
Overview If you are named to receive a cash bequest from a sibling’s will but the estate’s personal representative (executor) is uncooperative, you have specific steps you can take under Maine law to protect your interest and pursue the distribution. The process involves confirming the estate is being administered, requesting an accounting, and, if necessary, […]
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