When someone dies in Virginia, probate refers to proving the validity of the decedent's will. Once the court validates it, formal administration refers to the appointment of an executor, management of the estate and transfer of assets to the beneficiaries. The...
Under Virginia law, assets go through probate if the deceased had assets in his or her sole name without a beneficiary form filled out or joint ownership at his or her death. Virginia does allow a limited probate process if the only asset is real estate or if the...
If your Aunt Lucy named you as the executor of her estate, her sudden death may leave you feeling overwhelmed by the responsibility. Even as you deal with your own grief, you must take care of details with which you are unfamiliar. Here are five tips to help you...
Creating a comprehensive estate plan is one of the more effective ways to maintain control over what happens to a person's assets after he or she dies. Nowadays, though, many estate plans also deal with end-of-life matters, such as critical care decision-making,...
Virginia offers a few shortcuts in probate that not every state offers. One such shortcut is if the only asset that needs to be probated is real estate in Virginia. That means all other assets either had a joint owner on them (for example, a joint bank account) or had...
The following question was asked on Avvo.com by a person in Roanoke, Virginia:"Is my wife's sister's husband entitled to assets from her brother's estate? My wife's brother passed away without a will, he was divorced for 35 years and had no children. His only...
Many people believe that having a Will avoids the probate process entirely. Unfortunately, those individuals are mistaken. Every person should have a Will in their estate plan in order to name a person to handle your estate when you pass away (Executor); state how...
