Site Map

Probate Instructions & Forms "for Dummies"®     ñ

Purpose, Assumptions, Typical Situations, & Instructions & Forms

1. Purpose

2. General Assumptions

3. Special Assumptions

   1. For Simple Testate Estate ONLY

   2. For Simple Intestate Estate ONLY

4. Typical Situations

   1. For the Testate Estate

   2. For the Intestate Estate

5. Instructions & Forms

   1. Opening the Simple Estate

   2. Administering the Simple Estate

   3. Closing the Simple Estate

6. Use of Wiley Publishing, Inc.'s Trademark

I.  Opening the Simple Estate     ñ

1. Preparing for Court

   1. Filing Decedent's Will

   2. Petitioning for Letters

   3. Drafting a Proposed Court Order

   4. Filing an Oath of Personal Representative

   5. Filing a Probate Notice to Creditors

   6. Telephoning the Probate Clerk

      • Requirement Specific to King County

      • Requirement for Some Less Populous Counties

2. Going to Court

   • Washington Probate Court Practice

   • The Initial Filing (in a New Probate Case)

   • Appearing in Probate Court

3. Giving Notice of Your Appointment

   1. To Heirs & Beneficiaries

   2. To Washington Department of Social & Health Services

   3. To Internal Revenue Service

II.  Administering the Simple Estate     ñ

1. Preparing an Inventory & Appraisement

2. Handling Creditor's Claims

   1. Publishing a Probate Notice to Creditors

      • Legal Newspapers & Costs of Publication

   2. Conducting a Reasonable Review to Identify Decedent's Creditors

   3. Giving Each Possible Creditor Actual Notice

   4. Determining Whether Creditor's Claims Are Lawfully Presented

   5. Disposing of Lawfully Presented Creditor's Claims

3. Handling Tax Issues

   1. Handling Income Tax Issues

      1. Federal

      2. Washington

   2. Handling Estate Tax Issues

III.  Closing the Simple Estate     ñ

1. Are you Ready to Close the Estate?

2. Closing the Estate