Death law varies by state.
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Every guide covers the same ground for its state: the probate process and how to skip it with small estate shortcuts, the witness and notary rules that make a will valid, the state's advance directive and health care proxy forms, cremation and burial law, estate and inheritance taxes, transfer-on-death options for property and vehicles, and links to the official forms. All of it is built from primary sources: state statutes, court rules, and government sites.

Probate is a state court process used when legal authority or transfer of probate property requires it. The process may determine whether a will is valid, appoint a personal representative, identify and protect estate property, address valid claims and taxes, and distribute what remains under the will or intestacy law. Procedure and timing depend on the state, court, property, and disputes, and simplified options may apply.

Most states have neither. Twelve states and Washington, DC levy their own estate tax on top of the federal one, and five states tax the people who inherit, with Maryland doing both. Rates, exemptions, and who's exempt vary a lot, and they change. Your state's guide states which taxes apply where you live and links to the state revenue department's current numbers.

No. Property may pass outside probate under a valid beneficiary designation, survivorship right, trust, or state-authorized transfer-on-death instrument. The document, ownership, beneficiary, and state law determine the result, and exceptions may involve invalid forms, creditors, taxes, divorce, or a beneficiary who died first. Simplified estate procedures also vary by state and property type.

A will directs probate property and can nominate a personal representative and guardian. A revocable living trust governs property properly transferred to it under the trust terms. Trust property can often be administered without probate, although court involvement, taxes, claims, or disputes can still arise. Whether a trust is useful depends on the state, property, family, goals, cost, and willingness to maintain it.

A will validly executed under another jurisdiction's law may remain valid, but recognition rules and the will's practical effect depend on the states involved. A move can change spousal rights, taxes, personal-representative rules, property law, and the usefulness of an advance directive. Review the documents under the new state's current law before relying on them.

The primary estate proceeding is often connected to the person's domicile. Real estate in another state may require an ancillary proceeding or another transfer process where the land is located. A valid trust, survivorship deed, or state-authorized transfer-on-death deed may change the process, but the deed, ownership, and laws of both states must be reviewed.

Each guide shows its review date and sources, and automated checks flag broken links and data mismatches. Laws, forms, fees, and agency pages can change between reviews. Use the linked primary source for a current decision and report anything that appears outdated so it can be checked and corrected.